Through perseverance and courage, amazing feats can be achieved.
Rest Ur Ass Donkey Sanctuary, located in Ruimsig, gives abused and abandoned donkeys a forever home. They currently have 130 donkeys under their care.
Lloreen le Roux, the co-founder of the sanctuary, received a call on September 25, 2021, about a female donkey found abandoned in a field, pregnant, and with what appears to be a fractured leg in Amsterdam, Mpumalanga, 350 kilometres away.
Lloreen and her husband, Albert, drove through to Mpumalanga the next morning to rescue her and bring her to RUA.
“We put her in the horsebox in a makeshift sling to keep the weight off her leg,” Lloreen explained, “and named her Grace.”
Doctor Michael Sutton of Muldersdrift Animal Clinic came out the next morning to perform an x-ray, which confirmed that her leg had suffered a clean break. “Normally, we’d euthanise her, but we wanted to give her a chance.”
She was referred to Dr Felipe Corrêa, a resident in equine surgery at the University of Pretoria’s Equine Clinic in Onderstepoort. He decided to put plates on her leg. She continued, “This is not typically done on donkeys or even horses.”
Grace was operated on at 10:00 the following morning after being admitted to their equine ward that afternoon. She underwent a seven-hour surgery, recovered for two hours, and then, with the help of the nursing students, made her way back to her clinic stable.
“Dr Felipe was very optimistic that she would recover completely if we followed his instructions to the letter and she got enough rest,” Lloreen explained. Grace’s leg now has two plates and 18 pins.
“Unfortunately, she miscarried when she was seven months pregnant. The stress and trauma she had been through were simply too much for her. She stayed at the clinic for another four weeks, receiving royal care and treatment around the clock!
“I drove from Johannesburg to Pretoria North to visit her every day, so that she knows that she had not been abandoned. Grace was only five years old at that stage and has a long life ahead of her,” Lloreen explained.
Dr Felipe felt comfortable releasing her on October 23, 2021, with strict instructions that she be stabled for at least six weeks, with one walk daily for 10 to 15 minutes for mental stimulation.
The Le Roux’s arrived in Onderstepoort at 9:00 to load her up and begin the long journey home.
“Because the stopping and starting would have been heavy on her leg,” Lloreen explained, “I was able to arrange with Tshwane Metro Police and BCI Security to escort her through the traffic lights and tollgate so that we could slowly proceed without having to stop. She was treated as if she was a queen.”
Tshwane Metro Police even made her peanut butter and oatmeal balls! She was treated with respect and dignity.
RUA employees Kelton and Gift set up her stable so she could stand outside and interact with the other donkeys over the fence.
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“We were very careful and cautious with our precious girl, and even though it took a little longer to heal than we expected and we had a setback when her one plate broke,” Lloreen concluded, “Grace is doing exceptionally well and is now able to enjoy her day in the sanctuary garden, with a friend or two visiting now and then.”
Grace receives reiki and bemer treatment twice a week, in addition to round-the-clock care, and she even has visitors who come to read to her.
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If you want to meet Grace or any of the other RUA donkeys, come to the sanctuary during one of their many movie nights, markets, or picnics, or call them at 084 611 0089 to make an appointment.
