20th of February 2010 – cast off donkeys saved from the streets

We received a report about a number of donkeys walking around at Kaminda Lagun, a busy street where cars often drive very fast. It turned out to be two jennies with their two foals. These donkeys had been kept tied up for years on someone’s private ground. The jennies

still had the ropes tied around their necks. Apparently the owner did not want them anymore and just turned them into the streets. In search for water and food the donkeys kept returning to the fence where they came out from. A very dangerous situation on this busy road. Besides these poor animals were undernourished and very weakened. Of course we took the mums and their foals to our sanctuary, where they will be able to regain strength and to live a safe and well cared life from now on. We are happy

that both foals are girls, so we do not have to pay for castrations. By the way, on the lot where the donkeys come from, some other animals still live, amongst which cows and goats. As also those animals are in a very miserable shape, we informed the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals about this all. Hopefully they will act against the owner.

24th of February 2010 – Society for Animals donates a horse trailer

Hooray, we will get a new horse trailer! Despite many reparations and face-lifts our current trailer almost collapses. The axes are complete rusted. Each time that we need to transport a donkey in this old trailer, we drive with fear. For it is very likely that it will definitely break down and that we will be in the middle of the streets with an injured donkey. Last Novem-

ber a committee member of a regional division of the Dutch Animal Welfare Society happened to be on Bonaire for a holiday. She visited our donkey sanctuary and was very much touched by our work and the continuous financial problems we face. Back home she immediately tried to find support for us. With great results! Her division of the Dutch Animal Welfare Society donates us a good second-hand horse trailer. Of course we appreciate this very much. This

lady was even willing to search for the perfect second-hand trailer, to buy it for us and to bring it to the harbour in Rotterdam for sea transportation to Bonaire. We can hardly wait for the trailer to arrive and for us to use it. Hereby a picture of our current old trailer. As soon as the new trailer arrived, we will gratefully tell and show you so on this news page.

26th of February 2010 – donkey put to sleep after car hit

Friday evening a donkey was hit on the main road from Kralendijk to the airport. Near City Shop the poor animal was knocked down by a car. Of course we went over to help the animal as soon as we got the message. Too badly it turned out that he donkey was so severely injured, that we had no other choice but to have him put to sleep on the scene by our vet.

27th of February 2010 – car hits donkey with incredible speed

According to a witness that only reported the incident later on to the police, a donkey was hit by a car on the Kaya Statius van Eps on Saturday evening around eleven o’clock. The driver of the car went off the scene immediately. He left behind his damaged car and the badly injured donkey, without notifying anyone. Only the next morning two Peruvian children found the donkey. The poor animal spent the whole night severely wounded along-

side the road. The children made a passing car stop and we were called upon for help. The donkey had been suffering badly for a too long time. His hip was crushed, his hind leg dangled loose and he had a severe head wound. Nevertheless the poor animal continuously tried in vain to stand up. Our vet immediately came over and put the donkey to sleep. The wrecked car was still standing alongside the road, about 100 meters away. We called the police, who were not yet aware of the incident and who came at the scene yet to do an investigation. Measurement of the skid marks exposed that the car must have been driving with a speed of 160 kilometres per hour! This as the maximum speed limit on all Bonaire is only 60 kilometres per hour. Normally the donkey is always ‘guilty’

of a car hit and the driver will get his losses paid by his insurance. In this case the insurance company may face it different. The Kaya Statius van Eps is a long, straight, non stop road where often cars drive too fast. Moreover on Saturday evening often (illegal) street races with cars and motorcycles take place, in which vehicles will drive with bizarre speed. We are very alarmed at this situation. Especially since after our intended relocation, the entrance to our sanctuary will be at this road.