For 20 years Tulip the donkey lived a neglected life with nobody around her who loved her.
A painful hoof condition due to overgrown feet meant she couldn’t stand, and her body was covered in sores because she had to sit for so long.
She was underweight, exhausted and covered in untreated wounds when she was rescued, thanks to a call from a concerned neighbor.
As she recovered from her terrible ordeal rescue center staff entered her pasture one day and made a surprising discovery.
It was the spring of 2018 when Ashley Nelms of Flare Oaks Rescue, in North Carolina, received a concerned call about Tulip.
“She received zero care for years and years which lead to her developing several severe health issues,” Ashley told Liftable.
“Because no one had ever trimmed her hooves, her feet were overgrown and she suffered from an extremely painful hoof condition called chronic laminitis.”
Tulip was with a healthy male donkey that her rescuers were told bred with her every year. But as Tulip was unable to raise a foal, she was forced to watch her babies die due to malnutrition.
The weak donkey was given a pregnancy test but there was no sign that she was carrying a foal and she was placed in the care of a vet who set her on the path to recovery.
Happy Mother's Day! 💐💗 This past year would have been incredibly difficult for us if it wasn't for the incredible…
Posted by Flare Oaks Rescue on Sunday, May 12, 2019
Six months after her rescue Tulip had made a good recovery. One December morning Ashley was out working in her paddock when she got the shock of her life.
“On December 6, 2018 I was stunned to find Tulip had given birth in her pasture!” Ashley said. “Not only did the ultrasound say not pregnant but she never showed any signs of being pregnant!”
‘Her precious secret’
Her birth was an even greater shock as the medication she was taking would have made her chances of getting pregnant even slimmer.
Yet this sweet donkey gave birth to a healthy baby girl called Josie.
“For the first time Tulip was healthy enough to raise her baby in a safe home surrounded by love,” Ashley said, according to Liftable.
“Tulip was an excellent mother! She was attentive, loving and took the very best care of her precious secret!”
I’m so glad there are people in this world that can give animals like Tulip a second chance at a loving home.
Please share this heartwarming story with your friends and family.
