Dumping donkey in road 'cruel and dangerous'

1 hour ago

Samantha JaggerNorth East and Cumbria

News image — Doris, who was "emaciated, thin and matted", was found running in the road

Barnhill Donkeys Retreat A sad-looking donkey who has its head resting on a metal feed which has lots of hay in it. The donkey has dark brown fur and a white nose and has its nose lowered. There is another donkey in the background. — Doris, who was "emaciated, thin and matted", was found running in the road

A sanctuary has made a plea after "yet another" donkey was abandoned in a road, describing it as "cruel and dangerous".

Barnhill Donkeys Retreat said it found a young donkey who was "so terrified it was blindly running up and down the road" after being dumped near its site at Sleagill, near Shap, on Sunday evening.

Linda Gilbert said "she felt like crying" because she could see the fear in the animal, now named Doris, who was "emaciated, thin and matted" and was one of the "saddest-looking donkeys".

Gilbert said there had been 12 donkeys dumped in the road in the past year, with her fearing it would cause a crash.

Gilbert, who now cares for 32 donkeys at the sanctuary, said the conditions of the animals who were dumped "continued to get worse".

"If it's a cost of living issue, don't buy them if you cannot care for them," she added.

Gilbert urged people to call in and let the sanctuary know ahead of dropping them off "because anything is better than dumping them, it is heartless, cruel and dangerous".