RIP lovely Joey

We are heartbroken to tell you that our lovely, feisty, young Joey has suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. He was found dead in the morning, having been bitten by a venomous viper snake. We called the vet, Jaber, to come to check and he confirmed the bite on Joey’s left, back, lower leg which was swollen.

On the rare occasions we’ve had a snake in the field during the day time, the donkeys have gathered round to very cautiously investigate while we’ve removed the snake, and there are even stories about mules taking on and killing snakes. But we think that tragically for Joey he was simply lying on the ground probably sleeping or resting when the snake struck.

Of course with nobody being there and witnessing this, there was absolutely nothing that could have been done to try to save Joey, as immediate action would have been needed - and even then it would not have necessarily guaranteed survival.

It’s very difficult to know what can be done. We’ve tried looking up ways to deter snakes but for such a large area and limited funds it’s very hard. Some people urge caution about deterring snakes from farm areas as they say they naturally ensure rodents and pests are kept under control, and unfortunately, we are now in the middle of the snake season.

Joey originally came from the Palestinian West Bank, just across the border. He had been used to running alongside his mother as she pulled a cart until he was tragically struck by a car injuring his right back leg leaving him with a limp, meaning he was no longer able to keep up running along by his mother’s side. His mother must have felt distraught because in the end the owner just left him by the wayside to try to fend for himself.

A man who knew all this ended up taking him in, but he simply kept him, without care, in an old yard area for several months until he couldn’t cope any longer. This was when we were called for help. Little Joey came to us in early 2022 in a bit of a dirty state. We gave him the peace and time he needed to settle in and come to terms with seeing so many other donkeys around him. When donkey Chips joined us later, the two - who look like twins - became best friends.

Sleep peacefully little Joey… We are so sorry that we failed to save you.