Abused Donkey’s Life Was on the Line, Until 12,000 Animal Lovers Sign PETITION to Save Him

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Animals often find themselves at the mercy of cruel and abusive humans (if you can call them that). Many such animals can only hope for people power to save them—as was the case with a donkey in Spain, whose life was on the line.

With the help of thousands who signed a petition, this donkey’s life was saved.

The police came to investigate a case of animal abuse after locals alerted them to the plight of a donkey. The animal had been driven to the point of exhaustion. It finally collapsed in the streets of  Segorbe, a mountainous village in Spain, according to The Metro.

The owner was known to force his donkey to pull a cart loaded with scrap materials the 20 kilometers between Castellnovo and Segorbe on a regular basis, and the donkey would often fall down exhausted. He was also accompanied by a dog, and he too looked neglected.

Police immediately confiscated the dog and sent it to an animal shelter, but the donkey was left behind. Although both animals are domestic and protected by the same laws, they are treated differently by authorities.

The animal charity El Refugio del Burrito was then alerted.

“It is frustrating that, although both animals are protected under the same law, and it is very clear on how to act when the life of an animal is at risk, we still find that authorities hesitate,” Veronica Sanchez, country manager for RDB, said in a statement.

“This is a negligence and omission of duty.”

Although the case was reported to a local animal welfare department, it had gotten lost in paperwork. A few days after the donkey collapsed, on March 13, 2017, RBD urgently requested police and court action to save the donkey, but still, there was no reply.

The organization decided to start a petition on Change.org, and in half a day, more than 12,000 people had signed. This was enough to force court action, and by the following day, animal rescuers arrived to take the animal.

The owner refused to hand the suffering animal over, so the donkey was forcibly removed. Rescuers named him Vida, meaning “new life,” and he now has the chance for a new beginning.

A vet examined the donkey and found him to be suffering severe malnutrition, parasites, a hoof infection, and many abrasions and sores from ill-fitting harnesses, plus other infections. Vida remained in a foster home in Castellon, as he was deemed unfit to travel.

“As soon as he can travel he will come to our sanctuary in Fuente de Piedra, Malaga,” said Rosa Chaparro, communications and fundraising manager for RBD.

There are more than 300 donkeys living at the sanctuary. He will be able to enjoy the rest of his life there with other rescued animals.

There are many abused donkeys like Vida in Spain, and the refuge gets around 40 calls for help each month. This is expensive work, and apart from the costs of rehabilitating the animals, prosecution costs against negligent owners are high.

The Donkey Sanctuary is a worldwide charitable organization that is making a profound difference to the lives of thousands of donkeys and mules.