The residents of a donkey sanctuary have enjoyed their “first taste of fresh air and freedom this year”.
The Flicka Foundation, a Penryn-based donkey sanctuary, said their donkeys had been restricted to their barns and hardstanding areas over the winter months.
The donkeys in the sanctuary’s main herd have had their paddocks opened and they “wasted no time frolicking and chasing, indulging in dust baths and chomping down on the fresh, spring grass”.
Rachel Sturgess, donkey care manager at The Flicka Foundation, said: “Many of our donkeys have been rescued from horrific situations of abuse, neglect or abandonment, so it’s great to see them out in the sunshine and just thoroughly enjoying life.”
Sturgess added: “Over the colder, wetter months, our donkeys have to be kept mainly in the barns and restricted to hardstanding areas when they’re outside.
“The wild ancestor of the donkey originates in a desert climate, so they hate the rain and they are also susceptible to contracting respiratory diseases and foot problems if they’re not protected from the elements.”
She added the donkey had large barns, with plenty of space to exercise and play, but the arrival of the milder weather and turnout time was always “a very exciting event for them”.
