A Special Donkey at Pegasus Sanctuary Remembered

We recently received a sponsorship update from our partner group Pegasus Society in Israel. Pegasus runs a beautiful sanctuary in Ramla for donkeys and horses rescued from lives of abuse, trauma or neglect. They sent us the sad news that a beautiful donkey named Einat had recently passed away at the grand old age of thirty-five. Einat was rescued back in 2005 after she was found wandering around a busy road and was in danger of being run over. Einat was one of the reasons Pegasus Donkey Sanctuary was founded, because it was understood she would need a safe home for the rest of her life. Despite being elderly and blind, Einat used all her other senses to enjoy life at the sanctuary to the full. She greeted staff each morning with loud, happy braying and loved eating sweet carrots. Einat spent fourteen years at the sanctuary and, as the tribe’s eldest, would receive and provide comfort for all the new rescues. Despite her blindness, she led and encouraged them, demonstrating her perseverance and ability to overcome suffering. This special soul has now been taken to the eternal grazing grounds. Einat has left a deep void and is already so missed by Pegasus staff and equines alike. She will always be remembered for her resilience and selfless love. “In your blindness, you showed us so much!” Rest in Peace, Einat.

Einat 1.png
Einat.png

Pegasus also sent us updates on five special donkeys living in their sanctuary, who are sponsored by Animal Aid Abroad members: Eldad, Jordan, Ness, Rahat and Shmaya. Each of these donkeys has a unique story encompassing tragedy, survival and hope.

We see you smiling Eldad!

Eldad is one of the lucky survivors of the cruel and severely damaging ritual of tying donkeys’ legs to keep them from running away. When we rescued him almost 5 years ago from the desert, his legs had been cruelly held together with ropes and wire! There were very deep, infected cuts on his legs that must have been unbearably painful. When we got to him, Eldad seemed to be smiling and nuzzled up to us right away. Donkeys can be so forgiving and easily forget about their painful past but it is definitely harder for us to forget as we repair his open wounds. Eldad celebrates life and freedom every day. He continues to be the leader of the pack here at Pegasus and is strong and so very kind. When one of our donkeys needed a blood transfusion due to acute anaemia as a result of a deep wound, Eldad came to the rescue. He was her hero and donated blood to save her life. It’s a beautiful story of paying it forward… one rescue to another. We pray that Eldad proudly gallops around our sanctuary, playing with everyone, always happy that his legs and his soul are forever free, for many more years to come.

eldad.png

It’s been almost 10 years since that dramatic day of the newsworthy rescue of sweet Jordan.

Jordan stepped on a mine on the Jordanian side of the border and our soldiers who saw him from across the fence, limping on 3 legs inside the minefield, contacted us for assistance. When we arrived, they had already opened a war-room to coordinate the activities, dozens of soldiers were assigned to the mission, explosive specialists from the engineering corps were on their way, commanders with detailed maps of the minefield were present and armoured vehicles and ambulances were waiting on the side! The only ones who didn't understand what the fuss was about were us and Jordan. We took an apple and some bread slices from the field kitchen and called Jordan to approach us. While all the others were studying the maps, Jordan was already standing next to us on the other side of the fence. All we had to do was ask the soldiers to cut a gap in the fence and within minutes he was safely on our side of the border! Since then, Jordan has been an honorary citizen of the State of Israel and the Pegasus Society. Now, almost 10 years later, Jordan continues to be a living example of how one can endure a physical challenge yet live life to its fullest. He is an outstanding citizen and loyal friend to us and all the rescues here at the sanctuary.

Jordan.png

Everyone seems to love you Ness!

There are no words to describe the torture that Ness went through. It is nothing short of a MIRACLE (‘Ness’ means miracle in Hebrew) that he survived! It’s been a year and a half now since that tragic call for rescue. We have taken care of hundreds of wounded donkeys in over 13 years, but the heartbreak of helping Ness get through his burn therapy and survive the incident will forever be burned in our minds. The treatments were so very hard and extremely painful – for him as well as for us. There were times of despair and hopelessness but we didn’t give up on treating him and we didn’t listen to the many who urged us to euthanize Ness. There was always that one paralyzing thought – in the year 2018, how could people decide to burn a donkey alive? It’s so hard to bear the knowledge that there are still people out there capable of such horrendous acts. But there is that bright side. Yes, the flammable substance was poured all over his back but it must have burned quickly so no tissue damage there. Yes, his ears were badly burned and parts have fallen off, but he CAN hear. Yes, the damage was mostly around his head and his eyes were swollen shut, but he CAN see. And yes, he was tortured at the hands of humans and left to die, but Ness has forgiven and is a living miracle! He is the sweetest, kindest soul here at the Sanctuary, greeting new people and donkeys alike. It is no surprise that our newest and youngest addition has found comfort at the side of gentle Ness.

Your scar tells us your story, Rahat.

Rahat’s story begins in 2011 when he and other donkeys were roaming around the city of Rahat and were caught by a gang of boys. He was the smallest and completely helpless against the evil and cruelty about to happen. They tied a plastic sheet to his back, poured gasoline over him and set him on fire! The sheet of plastic burned and scorched the donkey’s back and sides. A kind local found Rahat shaking and suffering and hid him in his yard, calling the animal rescue foundation immediately, who then reached out to us. Rahat had burns covering a large area of his body and back and was in unbearable pain. When the Pegasus trailer came, Rahat knew instinctively that this was his escape and so began the first day of the rest of his happy life. The road to rehabilitation was long, however, and included months of burn therapy and daily treatments and medications. This story has such a happy ending and Rahat is so full of life, a life that could have easily ended that tragic day. Rahat has only one scar left on his leg 8 years later, a scar that reminds us of our important role as humans who must fight against animal cruelty. What a happy little donkey with so many friends and a family who is dedicated to his wellbeing, health and protection.

Shmaya hears only sounds of love

Shmaya is very dear to our hearts as one of our original rescues, along with Einat (RIP), and helped us begin our journey of donkey and horse rescues here at Pegasus almost 15 years ago. Shmaya’s story is one of extreme pain and cruelty as he had to endure his ears being cut or torn off. He lost his hearing as a result of the damage but Shmaya taught us all about forgiveness. He embraced the humans at the sanctuary right away and, of course, became a symbol of friendship for all of the rescues who came after him. Sometimes a new donkey gets scared, thinking Shmaya is pulling back his ears (a sign of anger in horses and donkeys), but then he is quickly accepted and becomes everyone’s friend. What a gentle soul! Although he can’t hear, he certainly sees us coming and runs over to greet us, putting his head close to our hands to be held. Wherever we walk, he tries to follow. Shmaya feels he is loved and takes every opportunity to give that love back. When you are part of a warm, loving family, no handicap can prevent you from being happy. Even though his ears have been cut off, Shmaya can hear only words of love!

Shmaya.png

We are so grateful to the generous Animal Aid Abroad sponsors who allow these rescued equines to live in peace, comfort and safety within Pegasus Donkey Sanctuary.

Janet Thomas