Happy Ever After For Honey and Piglet
By Jill Dando News
A tiny foal born to a mother who was rescued in one of our most complex and historic operations is thriving in sanctuary care three years on.
Three-year-old Honey resides at our New Arrivals Unit in Devon alongside her mother Piglet, nine.
However, the happy life Honey leads now is a far cry from the appalling conditions her mother was rescued from in February 2021.
Piglet was one of dozens of donkeys discovered living in squalor at a farm in Carmarthenshire.
Many of the donkeys were found living in filthy barns and had veterinary issues, including long hooves, sharp teeth and lice infestations.
The rescue of Piglet and other donkeys on the site has been the largest and most complex carried out by The Donkey Sanctuary to date.
In collaboration with several other animal welfare organisations, we brought the donkeys into sanctuary care and supported their rehabilitative journeys.
While many are thriving in their safe and loving environments today, others still require continued support to fully recover from their deep-rooted behavioural and physical issues caused by their experiences.
Supporting Piglet
Following her rescue, Piglet arrived at our New Arrivals Unit in the late stages of pregnancy. However, she was also carrying the burden of several veterinary issues.
Despite being 11 months pregnant, Piglet was underweight and living with long, painful hooves. She also had significant dental disease, causing painful ulcers in her mouth.
Josie Blaber, Farm Supervisor, says: “Piglet was so small and malnourished, it was hard to ascertain if she was actually pregnant. The vets had to conduct a pregnancy test to confirm she was in foal.
“Once her pregnancy was confirmed, Piglet was transported to our New Arrivals Unit so she could be monitored more closely. She was housed in a warm stable with 24/7 CCTV monitoring, so the grooms could instantly react if need be.”
Two months after Piglet’s rescue, her foal Honey was born – and was noticeably on the small size, weighing in at eight kilograms.
Josie adds: “Honey’s size explained why Piglet’s pregnancy wasn’t as visually obvious to us.
“Despite being tiny, Honey was a healthy foal. Had she been born into the environment Piglet was living in before her rescue, her life would have started in squalid conditions.
“The barn Piglet lived in was dark, cold and covered in a thick layer of faeces. It also had no water and limited feed. It was completely unsuitable conditions for any donkey, let alone a vulnerable newborn foal.”
Safe in sanctuary care
Honey and Piglet made the move to our New Arrivals Unit six months later, and have been leading happy, fulfilled lives ever since.
Josie adds: “Piglet and Honey have gone from mum and daughter to best friends. They are always together and live in a group of 30 donkeys.
“Nearly all their herd mates were rescued from Carmarthenshire too, so they are very happy to be kept together.
“When Honey isn’t with her mum, she is always seeking attention from the grooms. She is a little shadow and will nudge the grooms for scratches.”
