Val, a lovely skewbald donkey, was just left in a field on someone's land. It's hard to imagine why or how anyone could do this. The landowners did not want to keep this unexpected guest and with help from the local Garda, Val was relinquished into our care.

Her feet were long, her teeth were in need of attention and she was generally in poor health. Our veterinary staff worked on all the problems she presented them with, but sadly, only a few months after her rescue she developed a kidney infection and the decision had to be taken to put her to sleep.

All the support we receive which allows us to have the best veterinary care on offer gives us the hope that we can resolve almost any problems that the donkeys arrive with, but we can be beaten, as in Val's case, and it is a bitter pill to swallow for everyone involved. Our one consolation is she spent the last few months in good stabling, with good food and with people who spoke kindly to her and gave her some fuss. She had probably never received this kind of attention before.