Abandoned donkey Mia has found a loving home – and a new best friend

Young donkey Mia came into the care of our Belwade Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre, in Aboyne, after being abandoned last summer. After successfully being rehabilitated, Mia has found a new home with another donkey who had lost a companion around the same time Mia lost her own friend Molly. Out of sadness, a wonderful friendship has blossomed, with Mia and Duffy (pictured together above) bonding very quickly and now thriving together.

Mia was heavily pregnant on arrival and gave birth to her foal, named Peanut (pictured below), just a month after arriving at the farm. Groom Jodie worked with Mia and helped her build her confidence as part of a carefully planned rehabilitation process. “When Mia first arrived, she was very cautious of people – it took a long time to gain her trust,” says Jodie. “To catch Mia and her friend Molly, who was abandoned with her, for the vet the first time we had to use special treats and all our powers of persuasion! Mia was also very protective of her tummy and hind end and before she had her foal, Peanut, she would kick out at anyone who went near either area.”

“With a lot of time, patience, and careful training, Mia’s relationship with people has completely transformed,” explains Jodie. “Seeing her go from being so apprehensive to enjoying a cuddle and being ready to rehome has been amazing. It’s been a very rewarding journey with Mia and I’m so happy that she’s found a loving home!” 

Alicia, who already has one World Horse Welfare horse as a companion, rehomed Mia in July and says:

“Mia is adorable – she and Duffy, my donkey, spent five minutes zooming around together when they were first introduced, then they had a bit of a chat together, and that was it: best friends immediately. As it happens, they’d both sadly lost their friend at a similar time – I hadn’t the heart to rush straight into finding a new donkey and I knew Duffy needed time to mourn. When I felt the time was right, Mia came up for rehoming just a couple of days later.

“Having already rehomed from World Horse Welfare once, I was pleased to do my bit by rehoming again to make space for another animal in need to be rescued. I also knew that Mia would have been fully checked over and that any considerations would be disclosed. Jodie explained that I’d probably need food to catch Mia, but after a couple of weeks in her new home she’s very happy to be caught without it. The team at Belwade Farm has done a great job with her and she’s lovely to handle. She’s a very sweet, gentle little donkey and she loves a fuss. I’m so pleased she and Duffy have bonded so well.”

If you’re interested in offering a home to one of our horses, ponies, donkeys, or mules, you can find out more and start your rehoming journey today on our rehoming pages.

Donkey and mule-related advice:

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