Charity discovers 20 donkeys abandoned in field 

Twenty donkeys were found abandoned in Co Galway, with one found dead by the charity. Picture: Donkey Sanctuary Ireland

Twenty donkeys were found abandoned in a field in south Galway, including one that was discovered dead. 

In a statement, Donkey Sanctuary Ireland described the case as a "watershed moment" due to the scale of neglect of the animals and the limited options that are available to animal welfare organisations seeking to rescue and rehome donkeys in crisis. 

The animals were discovered by the charity's welfare officers around Christmas. 

Donkey Sanctuary director Laura Foster said the charity's welfare advisers dealt with a number of issues in this case, including overbreeding. 

"The donkeys were abandoned for a significant period of time, resulting in breeding despite the dire welfare circumstances," she said. 

Following the discovery, four pregnant mares and three foals arrived at the charity's facilities in March after a complex rescue operation. 

In the past two weeks, eight donkeys have been rescued and rehomed after receiving medical attention. 

"Sadly four [of the 20] had to be euthanised on-site on health and welfare grounds," the statement read. 

A spokesperson for Donkey Sanctuary Ireland confirmed the Department of Agriculture was involved with the case. 

Ms Foster called this incident a "significant case for our charity, but not unexpected".

She said the charity had been talking about the unsustainable demand for their welfare services publicly for some time and that this case "really highlights the severity of donkey welfare problems in Ireland".

“We have consistently made space available, wherever possible, for pregnant mares and foals, while prioritising community-based rehoming and prevention. Despite our best efforts, the crisis is far bigger than our operational capacity and the case in Galway takes our sanctuaries to their absolute limit," she said. 

Ms Foster also said inaction was one of the biggest drivers for poor welfare of donkeys. 

'Despite our best efforts, the crisis is far bigger than our operational capacity and the case in Galway takes our sanctuaries to their absolute limit,' said the charity. Picture: Donkey Sanctuary Ireland

"Donkeys left alone to suffer without appropriate food or shelter need to be seen quickly to prevent chronic, life-threatening health problems. If in doubt, call us," she said. 

“In the interim, we must tackle the donkey population issue through castration and effective end-of-life decision-making. Too often, we see suffering that could have been prevented or stopped much sooner.”

The Irish Examiner has asked the Department of Agriculture for comment.