The number of donkeys being abandoned by owners has surged to its highest level over the past 12 months.
The Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll, Co Cork, is full to capacity with 498 animals, with a further 200 having being shipped to its sister shelter in Devon in the UK.
Spokesman Paddy Barrett said: “I’ve never known it as bad. The numbers being abandoned are larger than we’ve ever had and the main reason for that is the recession. For some owners who are struggling to make ends meet, the poor donkey is one of the first things to be sacrificed.”