We sadly lost one of our oldest friends here at the Sanctuary this week. Laz was gently put to sleep due to his deteriorating health and arthritis. He was 52, a grand old age for a donkey.
Nicky Hart, one of our Grooms at Woods Farm, has been his carer for many years. She said: “It was a very sad day when Laz, our oldest donkey had to be put to sleep, and several tears were shed.”
“He was such a cheerful little chap and was always nudging you in the back or pulling at your coat for attention.”
“He loved the camera and was quite a poser for videos and photographs. This week, the ‘oldies barn’ has seemed very quiet without him. Goodnight old friend.”
Here in the UK, donkeys with a good quality of life and the right care can live into their 40s and 50s and Laz was no exception. However, we see a different story in developing countries where we work, such as Ethiopia and India. In comparison, hard working donkeys are lucky to live to the age of 11.
Martha, aged 48, is now our oldest resident donkey and before Laz, a dear little donkey known as Esmerelda was the oldest donkey The Donkey Sanctuary had ever cared for. She passed away at the magnificent age of 56 and almost certainly was one of the oldest donkeys in the world.
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