BeeBee the mule was abandoned outside the gates of our Open Farm in Liscaroll when she was only a few days old, and we have been following her progress ever since.
Abandoned and alone
Less than a week old, the foal – later named BeeBee - had been abandoned on the side of the road with no shelter and no mother to feed from.
Without a mother to protect her, she was frightened, hungry, and completely defenceless.
Thankfully, BeeBee was found outside our sanctuary by a woman picking up her children from school. She was then taken to our New Arrivals unit where she was joined by Larkspur and Parsley for company.
BeeBee the mule when she first arrived at our New Arrivals unit.
To find BeeBee's owner, but more importantly her mother, we contacted local veterinarians, animal welfare organizations, and the public.
Sadly, our search for BeeBee's mother was unsuccessful, so our Head of Farms Declan Sexton and his team pulled together to make sure that the foal received all the care and nutrients she needed at this critical stage of her development.
Declan says: “BeeBee had to be fed every two hours by hand for the first four weeks, even through the night. A 'feed rota' was put in place to make sure she got the care she needed to grow and thrive.
“As the weeks passed, the time intervals became more spread out, and by the time the intervals reached six hours, BeeBee had started eating some hard feed and grass."
BeeBee was hand fed around-the-clock by our farm team.
Thanks to your support, we were able to provide BeeBee with constant care during her early years, as well as continue to care for her to avoid further issues developing as a result of being abandoned.
It is not just very stressful for a donkey or mule to be abandoned, but it can also cause many health issues, as well as lead to unfavourable behaviour that takes time and effort to reverse.
Animals that are abandoned at a young age may also have trouble developing natural instincts and behaviours that they would have otherwise learned from their mothers.
BeeBee moved from New Arrivals to be with the 'youngsters'.
Where is BeeBee now?
BeeBee is now three years old, and she has grown into an inquisitive and confident mule that loves affection.
During her time at the New Arrivals unit, Supervisor Dawn O'Connor worked closely with BeeBee and trained her with a head collar and lead rope, rewarding her with lots of ear scratches for good behaviour.
After leaving our New Arrivals unit, she moved to a group of 12 youngsters until she recently joined the main herd at Hannigan's farm in Liscarroll.
BeeBee has been getting along well with the whole group, and she has maintained a close bond with Larkspur, who she was housed with when she first arrived.
BeeBee joined the main herd after turning three years old.
Support in the community
Thanks to your generosity and the commitment of our farm team, BeeBee has grown into a healthy and happy mule despite her tough start in life.
To avoid more donkeys and mules being abandoned like BeeBee, we offer support to owners whose herd size has become unmanageable due to unplanned breeding, and you can get in touch with our welfare team to discuss the support we offer in the community.
