Three donkeys found abandoned in Co Cork

Three abandoned and starving donkeys have been rescued from a swamp in County Cork.

Two female donkeys and a six month-old foal were found near the bodies of two stallion donkeys on Friday 7 December. They were resuced by the Donkey Sanctuary after a walker reported them.

The two stallions had died from a combination of starvation and exposure to the freezing temperatures.

“We were shocked to find these starving, freezing and terrified donkeys in such desperate conditions,” said Noel Carton of the Donkey Sanctuary.

“They would have endured temperatures as low as -5 in the preceding few weeks and although these three donkeys have somehow managed to survive on the sparse vegetation from the swamp, the two stallions died from sheer exposure to the elements.”

The donkeys were taken for veterinary treatment and are currently at a holding base waiting for space at the charity’s Irish headquarters in Liscarroll.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now