This weekend we sadly had to say goodbye to a beloved Redwings donkey, who was our oldest Sanctuary resident.

Beautiful Pandora (pictured left), who lived at our Caldecott Visitor Centre in Norfolk, was 44 years old when she passed away this month.

Pandora came to Redwings in 1988 following a request from her elderly owners who were concerned for her future should anything happen to them.

Donkeys are sensitive souls who need a lot of special care, which can make it difficult for them to find suitable forever homes, so we have an open door policy for the special equines and we were delighted to welcome Pandora to the Sanctuary.

Though she suffered from occasional stiffness, this old girl was pretty sprightly for her age and still enjoyed the odd run around with her donkey friends.

However, this weekend past it was discovered she was suffering from a gastric impaction that was causing her a lot of discomfort. Unfortunately, due to her age Pandora surgery was not a possibility and the only option available to our vets was to put her to sleep to ensure she did not suffer.

I’m sure all of her fans from over the years will join us in saying how incredibly missed this sweet little donkey will be. RIP Pandora.