No kid-ding: Donkey adopted by goat breeder and raised with her animals thinks he is one of the herd

By Rob Preece


A donkey who was raised with a herd of goats has started imitating them - by standing on his hind legs and head-butting other animals.

Moses, a three-month-old foal, learned the habits after he was taken in by a goat breeder following the death of his mother.

But his habits picked up from his adopted brothers and sisters, have proved too much for his elderly keeper, who only fed him on goat's milk.

Stand-up comedy: Moses the donkey shows how he stands on his back legs, like a goat

The donkey is now being cared for by experts at the Scottish Borders’ Donkey Sanctuary, in Roxburghshire.

Sanctuary manager John Wilson said: 'He thinks he’s a goat.

'He stands on his back legs and every so often he gives you a little nudge from behind if he thinks you’re ignoring him, which is very unusual for a donkey.

'What happened to his mum is really sad and the lady that took him in did the best she could, she probably saved his life.

'But the goat’s milk diet wasn’t enough for him so we are now feeding him properly and he is growing up healthily.'

Moses's mother died from tetanus shortly after he was born in the first week of March on a farm in Dunlop, East Ayrshire.

His owner was ill-equipped to care for a newborn foal and so delivered him to an elderly friend who breeds goats.

The donkey initially thrived on his unusual goat’s milk diet but, as he grew bigger, he became too much of a burden for the pensioner.

He was put up for sale and was taken in by the sanctuary three weeks ago.

Mr Wilson said: 'Everyone here loves him, especially children because he is a very cute little donkey, even if he does retain some unusual habits.

'There are some goats in a field next to him and whenever they come near his enclosure he rushes over to meet them and they just run away from him.

'I’m not sure he knows why because as far as he’s concerned he is one of them.

'Hopefully he will slowly get over that now he is surrounded by other donkeys.'

Happy: Moses is thriving now he is being cared for by experts at the Scottish Borders’ Donkey Sanctuary

Workers at the 80-acre sanctuary, which has 75 donkeys aged up to 35, are searching for a playmate for Moses.

Sanctuary owner Rosemary Dale said: 'We’re just hoping to get Moses healthy and find a companion for him.

'Maybe someone has an orphaned foal they could lend us for three months.

'He’s in a field with some of our eldest residents but they’re having nothing to do with him.

'Donkeys mate for life so we really need a younger mate that he can get along with.'


Will you play with me? Sanctuary workers are searching for a mate for Moses



source:dailymail