Donkey Sanctuary welcomes its smallest arrival
The newborn is one of the smallest arrivals at the sanctuary - about the size of a dog.
The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon, has welcomed its smallest arrival - a miniature foal born around a month after his mum was brought to the site.
At knee height and weighing just 14 kilograms, compared with around 50kg for the average thoroughbred horse foal, the tiny brown and white colt is the 14th foal to be born at the sanctuary this year as the charity experiences a baby boom due to the high number of rescued mares being taken in.
The number of foals born so far this year has already beaten the tally of the whole of last year, with three born in just one week in April, and more than doubled the 2010 total of six births.
The as-yet-unnamed foal is racing around the paddock and keeping his mum, three-year-old Summer, busy. She was relinquished to the charity in June and was already pregnant.
Vet Elena Barrio, who has been at The Donkey Sanctuary for nine years, says: "As his mum is a miniature donkey he's one of the smallest foals we've ever had. About the size of a dog, he's such a beauty and so delicate - small but perfectly formed and perfectly healthy."
Visitors to the Sidmouth sanctuary may be lucky enough to get a glimpse of the new arrival - for more information visit www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
