‘No room at the Inn’ for a pregnant donkey called Mary

An animal sanctuary owner has sent out an SOS for a home for Mary — a donkey who is in foal.

Mary is one of four donkeys which will be put down if homes are not found for them.

The owner of the Donegal Donkey Sanctuary, Danny Curran, said he simply has no room at his “Inn” at Raphoe in Co Donegal.

The abandoned donkeys were found wandering in St Johnston this week by gardaí.

Gardaí say the animals will have to be destroyed if they are not rehomed.

Mr Curran says he is already full to capacity with 54 donkeys at his stables.

However, he says he will clean and check the donkeys and drive anywhere in the country to find them a home.

“I basically have no room at the Inn for “Mary and the three wise men” as we have called them. I would never turn an animal away but we are simply bursting to capacity. If we do not find homes for them, they will have to be put in the pound and then destroyed over Christmas,” he said.

The sanctuary owner, who started caring for donkeys five years ago, says anyone with even a small bit of land and some shelter could keep the donkeys until a longer-term home is found.

“One of the donkeys, Mary, is in foal and will need to be looked after. But the other three, the three wise men, are all in good condition. Even if we can get temporary homes over the Christmas period, then we can get something sorted in the new year,” he said.

And Danny adds that he is prepared to drive anywhere in the country to make sure the donkeys are saved for Christmas.

“I think it’s very touching at this time of year that we can’t find a home for a donkey in foal considering Mary was carried by donkey to Bethlehem.

Meanwhile, Danny said demand for his services are going up every year.