Citizens have united to demand a police investigation into an abandoned and maltreated little donkey found wandering the old quarter of Almeria city earlier this month.
Little capitan as he’s now known, was spotted several times wandering the back streets and fields of the city, and several people complained to the Local Police about the animal, about which they were concerned.
Indeed, it is alleged that a couple of times residents called the police -not something the residents of this part of the city are used to doing- after seeing gangs of youths abusing the little stray.
Eventually he was found by the Seprona (environmental police) in an emancipated state and taken to the city pound. City vets examined the animal and didn’t find any chip.
Since his owner hasn’t denounced the escape of the animal, city vets are assuming the animal either escaped or was dumped. Since he doesn’t have any paperwork, his owner has probably given up any hope of getting him back – you need a lot of paperwork to keep a donkey, and being found in possession of an unlicensed donkey is frowned upon by the Authorities.
From there, he has been transferred to local animal charity La Huella Roja in Roquetas del Mar.
However, el Capitan has stirred the hearts of the locals, and a quick whip round by the charity raised enough to treat the poor creature.
Now, an online citizens petition has attracted over 1,700 local signatures asking the police to investigate where he came from, and if it’s true that gangs of youths attacked the stray.
Europa Press says that a dedicated donkey charity in Seville has now come forward and offered him a permanent home there. And the Guardia Civil have confirmed they are still looking for his owner.
Although the story is depressing, especially about the “gang of youths” throwing stones at him, this outpouring of quiet compassion from a section of society that is neither particularly cash rich nor traditionally expected to have much animal compassion provides a spark of light to what would otherwise be a very sad little story.