We adore all animals and have a real weakness for donkeys. When we read about 6 of them being brought over from Portugal, who had all been really abused we immediately picked up the phone to offer a home.

Now, thanks to the North Devon Animal Ambulance we are the very proud foster parents to Basil & Cookie.

Basil the first morning after he arrived 25/01/09

Cookie the first morning after he arived 25/01/09

They both have horror stories in their past and bear the scars to prove it.

Cookie is terribly headshy and has scars on his face and body. He has broken teeth and a stiff hind leg. He is approx 15-20 years old, but now acts much younger. He gets less worried about being hit each day and is really beginning to trust us.

Basil is approx 30 years old and has obviously had a very hard life. His whole body is a mass of scars, his ears are terribly sore, he has chronic infections in both eyes, he walks in a very stiff manner and is so thin that we really didn't think he would survive the night when he first arrived. He has deep scarring around his face where his headcoller has grown into it over the years and worst of all he has a lump of bone sticking out the side of his face where his jaw has been broken in the past. He is an adorable old man and has built a strong bond with us already. He is still very worried about meeting new people and will kick (as our vet and farrier found out) if he is frightened. Our lovely vet believes that his strength of character has kept him going through his years of abuse.

The second day they explored the garden and the decided to try the big paddock behind the house

Basil

Cookie with Holly & Charlie

We took their rugs off for an hour in the afternoon as it was so warm and they had a good brush which they both enjoyed

They both settled in straight away with Holly and Charlie, who really seem to adore them.Cookie is loving his freedom and him and Charlie play together beautifully.

Basil is getting stronger each day, they have both had their teeth sorted out, Basil's were appalling and he will need further treatment in a few weeks. His teeth were so long they were actually making his mouth bleed everytime he ate and his mouth was very ulcerated.

Basil

For the first couple of weeks Basil was quite happy to stay in the stable - even though the door was open so he could come and go as he pleased. He now has new rugs which keep him warm and does not mind the company of the chickens.

Cookie

I'd love to know what they thought of the snow - I don't suppose they saw too much of it in Portugal.

Basil

Basil has just been seen by the vet and she is very pleased with his progress.

We adore them both and can't wait for the spring grass to grow so that their condition really starts to improve.

Here are the latest pictures of Basil, taken beginning of Aug. He has done so well and is thriving here in North Devon. You can clearly see the lump of bone sticking out of the side of his face and it really is sickening to think that this has been inflicted by humans.

He is such a poppet and adores his retirement. When he was last sedated for his teeth to be rasped we took the opportunity to clip off his filthy coat and give him a good bath. His skin was so dirty that it took two bottles of shampoo to clean him, we don't think he could ever of had a thorough grooming before and he must of felt so much better for it. It is fantastic to watch him with the others, especially when he canters around the fields with them, braying for all he's worth!

Cookie has settled in equally well, although he is thought to be a minimum of 15 years old he plays with Charlie all day, everyday. They are always together and always up to mischief. Cookie has yet to shed all of his winter coat (donkeys always take months) so is still patchy, however the summer coat that has come through is a beautiful black, so he will look stunning when it's all through.

He adores a fuss and will stand for ages in the evenings for a scratch. He also adores his morning digestives and is always first in line when he hears the biscuit barrel.