Urgent appeal for help by Barnhill Donkeys Retreat

Barnhill Donkeys Retreat has launched an urgent fundraiser due to the number of donkeys that arrive over the autumn and winter.

Linda Gilbert, of the retreat near Shap, said: “We have had to start a fundraiser, we have just extended the stable yard at a cost of £6,100.

“Due to the number of donkeys that arrive here especially in the autumn and winter extra stabling is essential.

“The donkeys arriving are in conditions that no animal should be in, no animal should suffer in the way these donkeys have suffered.

“Yet despite the cruelty they have gone through they are loving and very forgiving, they give so many people young and old so much pleasure.

“Now we need help, which is so vital to keep going, we need more stabling to enable us to keep taking in donkeys, to keep giving them a life they deserve.”

One of the recent arrivals to the retreat is Rose, who has been with them for three weeks.

Linda added: “This donkey is not only skin and bone but also crippled with pain in her feet, extra stabling will help us give a donkey somewhere safe and warm with deep bedding and the extra food they need, on their own to eat without others trying to ‘help’.”

A report from Frame & Swift veterinary centre said: “She was markedly underweight with a body condition score of 2/9 (normal is 5/9) but she had been eating well since her arrival at Barnhill.

“She had overgrown feet with severe white line separation and mild thrush infection which was treated with antibiotic spray. She also had completely collapsed frogs which can accompany severe cases of white line separation.

“The farrier was due to see her the following week to start corrective trimming.

“She also had ringworm lesions over her face and neck which required treatment. Ringworm usually only affects the old, young, or poorly donkey.

“She also had a snotty discharge from her nose which was likely a flare up of a respiratory bacteria called Streptococcus Zooepidemicus. She was given a week of antibiotics in her feed to treat this.

“She was likely made more susceptible to these infections due to stress and her poor condition. With extra TLC and good farriery, I hope she should make a full recovery.”