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Rosie, with love……………by Marleen
Saying goodbye to Rosie was hard for me; writing about her isn’t easy either. She meant a lot to all of us.
Four years ago we collected her from a place where she had nothing: no food, water, cover or care. Due to long-term neglect she was forced to step on the front of her hooves, which meant that she couldn´t move at all. Also she was infested with fleas.
Our farrier made her special irons with high heels and her feet were encouraged back into normal position slowly, bit by bit. Slowly also, she regained her confidence in people.
Years passed in which Rosie enjoyed her life in the Donkey Paradise. Gradually, walking became more difficult for her, yet she liked to walk up the hill to graze every day. Last summer she became the emblem of Ian and Louis´s action ´Caring for Rosie´, which raised 1600€ for all the donkeys. A fantastic result!
When donkey baby Rocco arrived, Rosie was appointed to adopt him, because he lost his mum too early on. She did that with increasing patience and commitment but her feet and legs started to give her more and more pain. In the end she stopped walking altogether and just spent her days in the yard. When she also stopped eating with pleasure, we knew it was time for her to go to the real Donkey Paradise… She didn´t go alone, though, for much love from all the volunteers accompanied her. Rosie will never be forgotten.
Luis’s Caring for Rosie Challenge
Luis and Marleen with Rosie
This year Luis, a great friend of the donkeys at El Paraiso del Burro (The Donkey Paradise), is undertaking three tough challenges to raise £1000 for Rosie, a donkey at our refuge.
Rosie first came to us in 2012 after a neighbour of her previous owner contacted Marleen to say that Rosie was going to be euthanised as the owner no longer had a use for her. Rosie was around 25 years of age, in poor health and with severe hoof problems which meant she had great difficultly in walking. Despite all her problems, Rosie is a very adorable donkey with a sweet nature. She has settled into the refuge well and has received a great deal of continuing care for her health and hoof problems. The farrier fitted Rosie with specially adapted “heels” to correct her posture and strengthen her legs.
Each donkey at the refuge costs about £500 per year to be fed and cared for. Many need regular veterinary care and all of the donkeys need hoof care regularly. By undertaking three challenges, Luis aims to raise enough money to cover the cost of Rosie’s care for two years. This Spring he will cycle to the mountain lakes in the Picos de Europa mountains, a tough 100km ride up steep terrain; he will walk a tough 50km mountain hike and he will also cycle 160km in one day along the canal of Castille.
Luis would welcome all the support he can get in order to complete his challenges and his goal of raising £1000 for Rosie.
Please support him via the link below:
http://www.gofundme.com/CaringforRosie
Rosie when she first arrived.
Rosie on high heels
Rosie with one new shoe
The Donkey Paradise 