THE NUMBER of abandoned and unwanted donkeys being rescued by Donkey Sanctuary Ireland in north Cork has tripled in the last nine months.
The sanctuary’s spokesman, Paddy Barrett, said that the centre at Liscarroll near Mallow is looking after 421 unwanted donkeys and mules.
“If the weather was not so harsh here and the roads so slippery, we would be picking up more which are waiting to be tended to here,” he added.
Mr Barrett explained that the value of the animals had rocketed throughout the boom years increasing from €700 – €800 to well over €1,500.
“People wanted them as pets because they are a wonderful and gentle pet. But because of uncontrolled breeding, a fall in demand and the costs involved in keeping one, some people no longer want them,” he said.
This was particularly true, Mr Barrett added, of the stallion foals that were worth less now in the market than the cost of castrating them.
He said that in there was a total of over 900 donkeys and mules on the sanctuary’s books, but that it had found homes for over 480 of these abandoned or unwanted animals.
“At one time in Ireland around 100 years ago, there were 300,000 donkeys working on farms, but the arrival of the tractor and mechanisation led to a dramatic decline in numbers,” he explained.
“They have another problem in so far as they live a long life. We have one which is 52 years old, so its very important to look after them well,” he added.
Mr Barrett said that over 3,600 donkeys had been given refuge in the centre since it was established by his father in 1964.
The sanctuary has a mailing list of 33,000 people who contribute to the upkeep of the centre. The sanctuary currently employs 52 people.
The donkeys that spent the festive period in the Liscarroll sanctuary were given a special Christmas dinner.
“They get a special meal which has hay and oats, apples and the special treat they all love, Polo mints,” he said.
“I have no idea where they developed the taste for mints but they love them. Perhaps its the crunch but I have yet to meet a donkey that does not like the Polo mint,” Mr Barrett said.