After being rejected by his own mother shortly after birth, this small foal’s life was everything but simple. But, thankfully, he wasn’t alone. After finding a new loving mother and being surrounded by love and compassion, the forlorn baby donkey overcame the difficult situation and changed the odds in his favor!
When Ben’s mother arrived to the Donkey Sanctuary in the United Kingdom, she was already pregnant. Millie, the mare, was far from ready to be a mother with only a few months till she would have given birth. Despite the staff’s best attempts to prepare her for what was to come, it was simply not meant to be. She also rejected her kid shortly after birth!
The sanctuary reported, “The mare and her baby were not together or displaying any symptoms of the bonding process that would ordinarily take place.” “We tried to persuade her to accept him, but this inexperienced and young mother just refused to let her foal near her — it was evident that she had rejected him.”
Without a mother, a new born animal’s prospects of life are exceedingly small, and Be was no exception. The sanctuary’s dedicated staff did their utmost to keep the small foal alive, and they were finally successful. They fed him every 3-4 hours with a bottle and spent a lot of time with him, making him feel safe and loved. Even yet, the small Ben needed someone to be there for him at all times, to keep him warm and safe, something only a mother can do.
Since Ben’s mother was no longer an option, the team chose to introduce him to “auntie” Jingle, another shelter mare. It didn’t take long for the two to become inseparable, much to everyone’s astonishment. Everyone was overjoyed to learn that Ben had finally found a loving mother. He earned it after what he’d been through!
In the video below, you can learn more about Ben’s inspirational journey.