Donkey's new lease of life after he was left for dead
A helpless donkey abandoned and left to die in overgrown rushes in a field in East Galway, is making a remarkable recovery after being rescued.
George, as he is now known, was in such a poor state, he had sores on his legs and may not have moved for days in the field at Mount Mary, Ballygar.
But thanks to an eagle-eyed horse rider who spotted him, and the intervention of the ISPCA, the local vet and the Donkey Sanctuary, George is making a good recovery.
ISPCA Inspector Karen Lyons received a call from a woman out riding her horse, who spotted George lying in the field.
Ms Lyons arrived on the scene and found the donkey in a “seriously collapsed state” so she called on local vet Catriona Thornton at Wyncroft Veterinary for help, while David Walsh from the Donkey Sanctuary was also nearby.
Ms Lyons said: “When I arrived at the scene and first saw the donkey, later called George, my initial thoughts were it might be too late. He was so weak and thin, he was unable to stand.
“He had sores on his right hind leg and also between his front legs that were red raw. He could have been down for days, said Inspector Lyons. After some time, we slowly got him to his feet.
“Although he was very unsteady, I could see he had fight in him and a will to live. He wanted to eat and drink which I thought was a good sign.
“We removed him and brought him to Wyncroft Veterinary Clinic as he was too weak to make the journey to the ISPCA Centre in Longford.
“Thanks to the local veterinary practice where George spent his first three days receiving round-the-clock veterinary treatment, he was strong enough to be transported to the ISPCA National Animal Centre.
“Thankfully George is making a remarkable recovery and responding well to ongoing treatment,” she said.
George is not microchipped and the ISPCA have appealed for the public’s help in tracing the owner.
There was no microchip present when scanned and the ISPCA is appealing for information to help trace an owner.
The society has reiterated its call on members of the public to continue to report animal welfare concerns to them on 1890 515515 or through ispca.ie.