|
Staff at an animal sanctuary have had to install security cameras in a bid to discover how a diminutive donkey kept escaping from her paddock. Bemused grooms at international animal welfare charity The Donkey Sanctuary were left dumbfounded after nine year old miniature donkey Tally managed to escape from her paddock on an almost daily basis to munch on lush grass nearby. Although staff stepped up daily patrols to see if they could spot Tally in the act, the equine escapologist always evaded being caught. Tally’s paddock, shared with 10 other miniature donkeys, was divided by an electric fence, but every morning Tally would be found on the other side of the fence munching on the long grass. After weeks of head-scratching, the team at the Devon-based charity decided to take drastic action and installed close circuit television. It wasn't long before the herd’s Houdini was caught red-hooved. Footage revealed Tally simply ducking under and lifting the wire over her back, seemingly unaffected by the mild shock from the fence. The team found that Tally was coming to no harm during her escapades and as the paddock she was escaping into was secure, they decided to turn a blind-eye to her adventures. The Donkey Sanctuary’s Maxine Carter explained: “In all my years looking after donkeys I’ve never come across any animal so good at escaping as Tally. We tried everything to try and stop her getting out of her paddock but she out-thought us every time. She’s making a real name for herself. If she were human, you’d probably be saying ‘lock her up’ because she’s been into every sweet shop going, gorging on all the goodies!
We’ve thought up different ways to try to stop her having free-rein to the longer grass, but she’s found the knack and at the end of the day, that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she’s happy, so we just need to keep an eye on her.” Miniature donkeys originate from Sardinia and Sicily. They are a separate donkey breed in their own right, generally no higher than 91 cm. Tally, along with her miniature donkey friends can be visited at the The Donkey Sanctuary’s Sidmouth site in Devon and people can also keep an eye on her antics by logging on to the live webcam. images (c) The Donkey Sanctuary
1 Comment
 Vets at the world’s largest donkey hospital have come up with a novel idea to help one of their donkeys cope with the bright sunshine as he recovers from temporarily losing his sight Jonty’s special ‘bug-eyed’ mask certainly makes him stand out from the crowd at The Donkey Sanctuary’s international headquarters in Devon. The unusual eyewear helps block UV rays. Problems started for Jonty when he stood on a thorn which painfully embedded itself into his hoof. Following a simple procedure at the state-of-the-art donkey hospital the thorn was removed, but things got worse for Jonty. Vicky Grove, a Veterinary Surgeon at The Donkey Sanctuary says, “The stress of the injury possibly triggered the recurrence of a chronic eye problem. Jonty suffered an immune-mediated inflammation of his whole eye and lost his sight.” The veterinary team needed to protect their patient from strong sunlight, and the special mask – which gives Jonty his bug-eyed appearance – was just the ticket to block UV rays. Vicky adds, “The mask is just like wearing sunglasses and Jonty has made some good progress, though the back of his eye is still damaged. We are monitoring his eyes with an ophthalmoscope and have tested his eyesight with an obstacle course, which he has completed so we think he is now just partially-sighted.” Jonty will wear his mask for much of the summer and the sanctuary’s vets will monitor his progress. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that Jonty's sight keeps improving! Jonty is currently convalescing at one of The Donkey Sanctuary’s farms, which is not open to the public. It is hoped that following respite he will be brought back to the charity’s main sanctuary in Sidmouth, which is open to members of the public. There he will join a small group including another partially-sighted male donkey called Will. images (c) The Donkey Sanctuary   Felicity, a beautiful Samoyed who was rescued from the brutal dog meat trade in China by London Charity NoToDogMeat, enjoys a day out with her Campaign buddy Samoyed Angel at Pop and Bark Cafe, St Paul's, an exclusive Easter party for this breed.
Felicity will joined later by two other charity rescues, Stephan and Delphi, who have also been rescued from this brutal trade of dogs for food. CEO Julia de Cadenet said, " After such a hard beginning, it's great to see the dogs in loving homes and having some fun. They loved the attention and it also brings awareness to our campaign.We hope to find homes for our other rescues in China who are waiting patiently” To find out more about the campaign and charity, please visit www.notodogmeat.com. Towards the end of last year, the Mayhew Home had a surprise delivery when their Animal Welfare Officers brought in seven unwanted Jack Russell terriers. The team suspect they were from a puppy farm. Word spread among the staff that there were some adorable new arrivals and everyone was keen to catch a glimpse and hopefully sneak a quick cuddle. They were placed into the expert hands of the vet and kennels teams to look after until it was time to find their forever homes.  all images (c) Mayhew Every cat and dog that comes in to Mayhew is seen at the on-site Community Vet Clinic and given a full health check, vaccinations and flea and worm treatment. Once the puppies had been examined, naming them was the next task. Such sweet bundles should be named after treats, so : Fudge, Cookie, Pudding, Pie, Custard, Waffle and Truffle. Over the next few weeks, the puppies kept the kennels team busy – imagine the fun and the mess! Lots of playing and socialisation took place and the puppies made the most of the indoor doggy play area, full of exciting things to explore and stimulate them physically and mentally.  At nine weeks, all seven puppies were neutered in Mayhew's vet clinic ready for rehoming. The Adoption team works hard to ensure each dog ends up with the perfect family and always provide a profile of the animal on the website rehoming pages to ensure the best fit can be found. Lots of people wanted to adopt these cuties and once new owners had been interviewed and home checks completed, the puppies were waved off to begin life in their new homes. Do you want a sneak peak at what happened next? Cassie (formerly Custard) landed on her paws with her new owner, Antonia. ‘Cassie loves her walks and meeting people and other dogs, and there is nothing she likes doing more than snoozing on the sofa after walking us around the park or playing with her cat toys. Cassie is a lovely, loving puppy, who everyone adores.’ Alfie (was Fudge) was adopted by a London family. His new owner, Conrad, explains how Alfie is now very much part of their family: ‘Alfie is happily running rings all around us with so much zest, love and enthusiasm. He is such a lovable, cute, ultra-friendly and good natured puppy, with a typical Jack Russell cheeky (sometimes naughty!) comic character. My family, and Alfie of course, are very grateful to Mayhew for all their good work and for bringing us together.’ Maggie (was Truffle) found a forever home with loving owner Emma. A few days after adopting her, Emma said, ‘Maggie has already settled in and is a credit to every lovely person at Mayhew who’s looked after her.’ A short while after her adoption, Maggie came back to Mayhew to meet the Home's new Patron, The Duchess of Sussex, on her official visit. 
The project will run in the Tsavo Conservation Area, one of the country’s most visited tourism destinations, home to approximately 12,850 African elephants. Among this population are at least 11 of the world’s 30 or so remaining ‘big tuskers’ , so-called because their tusks are long enough to reach the ground. They all face a mortal threat from poaching fuelled by demand for ivory. Through IFAW’s innovative wildlife security initiative ‘tenBoma’, both government and community rangers are trained to anticipate and respond to threats to animals and local communities. TenBoma, meaning ten houses, is inspired by an African community philosophy that professes if ten houses look out for each other, the wider community is safe. This philosophy is at the heart of IFAW’s work which aims to create a co-ordinated wildlife security network, trained and equipped to stay one step ahead of the organised poachers that have impacted elephant populations in Africa. Technology, systematic data processing systems and intelligence collection are the key to the initiative. Local communities keep a vigilant eye on suspicious activity – from detecting unknown tyre prints to seeing camp fire smoke from outside a village area. This data is then catalogued and forensically analyised and any emerging patterns shared with field rangers who can put plans in place to counter potential threats. Rangers are provided with communications and mobility equipment including GPS, smartphones, radios and satellite equipment which enable them to respond more effectively and rapidly to intercept poachers. In partnership with Kenya Wildlife Service and Tsavo Trust, the initiative provides training and mentoring to 130 Kenya Wildlife Service and community rangers. Thomas Ellerbeck, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of TUI Care Foundation, commented, “An exciting aspect of this project lies in its combination of local knowledge on the one hand and the latest technological developments on the other. Together with various local stakeholders we are helping to build a strong basis for a sustainable social-ecological environment. Empowering the local community and building sense of ownership is crucial for long-lasting change. Faye Cuevas, Senior Vice President at IFAW said, “TUI Care Foundation has made it possible for us to provide urgently needed equipment to community rangers such as mobile devices, cameras and boots so they can collect information on potential threats to wildlife and people. State-of-the-art crime scene investigation training supported by TUI Care Foundation means that rangers can now better protect Tsavo’s ‘big tuskers’ from unique threats like poison arrow poaching through more efficient collection and preservation of forensic evidence at a poaching crime scene.” As part of its TUI Elephant Aid programme, TUI Care Foundation has been actively supporting projects for the protection of elephant populations worldwide since its foundation. In Tanzania, local farmers were taught how to protect their crops with elephant friendly solutions and foster a virtuous coexistence with these ancient creatures. In Thailand, TUI Care Foundation currently supports local entrepreneurs to develop elephant friendly venues where visitors can experience elephants in their natural habitat. About TUI Care Foundation Building on the potential of tourism as a force for good, the TUI Care Foundation supports and initiates partnerships and projects which create new opportunities for the young generation and contribute to thriving communities all over the world. Connecting holidaymakers to good causes, the TUI Care Foundation fosters education and training initiatives to open up new opportunities and perspectives for young people, the protection of the natural environment in holiday destinations and sustainable livelihoods in thriving destinations where local communities can benefit even more from tourism. TUI Care Foundation works global and acts local - building on strong partnerships with local and international organisations to create meaningful, long lasting impact. The charitable foundation values transparency and the efficient use of funds. 100% of donations go to destination programmes with all administration costs of the foundation covered by TUI. About IFAW Founded in 1969 the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is a global non-profit organisation that protects animals and the places they call home. With offices in 15 countries and projects in over 40, IFAW rescue, rehabilitate and release animals into secure landscapes around the world. In collaboration with governments and local communities, experienced campaigners, legal and political experts and internationally acclaimed scientists pioneer lasting solutions to some of the most pressing animal welfare and wildlife conservation issues of our time. |
