Donkey lady Vroni
In search of a home suitable for donkeys
From the perspective of an Aiderbichler
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
Donkeys are gentle, intelligent, strongly demanding characters, they reflect human behaviour in dealing with stress, resistance, pressure etc. – they are our mirror, maybe that’s why I love them so much?
Vroni has been living for a year with a young woman who gives animals from animal welfare a home on a leased farm. Now a baby is coming and the woman needs to reduce her animal population. The request to take her in came to Gut Aiderbichl, and Vroni has now been living at the Gut Aiderbichl Deggendorf animal sanctuary for a few weeks.
Nobody wanted Vroni
“… I’ve already tried several private adverts on Facebook, but no one got in touch …”. Now Vroni has found a new forever home. Her journey here was a long one.
For 13 years, Vroni spent her life lonely and alone on the woodland property of a very elderly lady, before she came to the small farm of her new owner.
Vroni is described to us as somewhat problematic: she can only be haltered in the box with no way out, she is not angry, but she backs away if the space available allows it. There have been no problems with two other donkeys that also live on the farm.
Donkeys have been sociable and empathetic companions for thousands of years
In principle, the donkey is a sociable and good-natured animal that likes to make friends. A donkey is not made to live alone. Then it does what Vroni does. It withdraws. The donkey is very resilient and, unlike the horse, shows no pain, fear, stress or illness. They are also cuddly, loyal and intelligent.
The Egyptians already valued the donkey as a companion. In Roman mythology, the donkey appears as a symbol of fertility. As the story goes, the donkey’s most important task was probably to carry Jesus on its back to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. In this religious context, the donkey symbolises the humble, the weak and the non-warlike.
Vroni now wants to greet and waits to be stroked
Vroni slowly starts to nudge the keepers when they come with food. Nudging means – “nice that you are here, I enjoy your closeness …”, Vroni also starts to sniff her humans, she is interested and attentive.
The shy Vroni becomes more and more a loving and cuddly donkey. Soon the animal keepers will make the first attempt to socialise Vroni with the other donkeys at Gut Aiderbichl Deggendorf, I don’t think it will be difficult.
I wish for the calm and prudence of donkeys …
The donkey holds up a mirror to us humans: look, this is who you are. If you let it, the donkey can be your teacher. How does it behave in difficult situations? He stops, weighs things up, walks away and sometimes hides. It doesn’t run off blindly, it is a clever observer and philosopher.
Wish Vroni a long, happy life and lots of cuddles. Learn from the donkey’s ears how the animals enjoy having their ears stroked on the outside and inside. When the neck gets longer and longer, the ears lay back, the eyes close and the lower lip is loose, then you have managed to turn the donkey into a connoisseur and your friend.
Sincerely,
Ihre Gisela
