VULNERABLE Irish donkeys are at risk as a 'lifeline' rescue sanctuary in Donegal may be forced to close.
The Donegal Donkey Sanctuary in Raphoe, Co Donegal, may not make it through the winter if the centre does not raise the much needed funds to care for donkeys in distress.
The Donegal Donkey Sanctuary went viral last year for helping a foal who had been born with lax tendons learn to walk with new shoes.
Timmy and his mother Twilight. Timmy was born with "lax tendons" which left his back legs twisted and weak. (Source: Facebook)Timmy the foal had suffered an injury in the womb as his mother was chased through Donegal fields, and instead of putting him down after he was born like most animals with his condition, the Currans spent €400 on new shoes, which corrected his weak, twisted legs and allowed him to walk properly.
Timmy's back legs were left weak and twisted after he suffered a trauma in the womb. (Source: Facebook)The sanctuary, which opened in 2006 and has rehoused hundreds of donkeys, currently houses 74 donkeys as well as carrying out rescues, rehoming and welfare checks from Dublin to Galway and north of the country.
Danny Curran, who runs the not-for-profit organisation with wife Sandra and two young children, has driven 250,000 miles in the course of their work, and told The Irish Post that unless they meet the target on the fundraiser the centre will have to close.
Donegal Donkey Sanctuary has rehoused hundreds of donkeys in their 11 years, but fear they may not make it through the winter. (Picture: Donegal Donkey Sanctuary/Facebook)"The plan that if we have to, we'll close down all welfare and intake and work with the funds that we have, while searching for homes for the donkeys we have here and get the numbers down.
"The problem is, once we close down welfare and close down intake, any animal that gets into any bother or suffers cruelty, there won't be anywhere in this half of the country to take them," Mr Curran said.
Mr Curran said that while the centre - which can cost up to €1,400 a week to run - can remain open for the next few weeks, he fear they may not make it through the winter.
"We can keep going for the next few weeks, and maybe halfway through the winter if we don't have any problems, but we couldn't face winter without money behind us," he said.
However, with the money from the fundraiser and possible monthly donors as a result, there's hope for the future of Donegal Donkey Sanctuary.
"If we raise enough money on this GoFundMe page, that would extend our time, and hopefully gain monthly donors," he said, "We set the goal at €25,000 and we're praying that we can burst through that.
"It's 11 years that we've worked with the donkey sanctuary, and it would kill me if it could be just gone in a second," Mr Curran said.
