NEW ARRIVAL IN NEED - SHIBILLI
Shibilli’s reputation was not a good one in any of the villages in the area he lived! We knew him from our Outreach and had first-hand experience of how difficult he could be. Despite being a health 20 year old working donkey, when the owner couldn’t look after him anymore, not one person wanted him! The owner contacted us and it was with a little trepidation that we set off to collect him just before Christmas.
The journey was rather nerve wracking before we arrived as we took a wrong turning and ended up driving along a very icy road in the mountains. However, we got there safely and knew we wouldn’t go back the same way!
It just goes to show how things often don’t go as expected as when Shibilli was led out from his stable he walked straight onto the trailer, ears pricked and, if the expression on his face was anything to go by, eager to go on an adventure. It was only later that we remembered that the owner used to transport the donkey in the back of a Transit van and had taught Shibilli to jump in the back! Phew!
The owner wished us luck and we got ready to set off down the mountain but – our truck wouldn’t start! After a lot of fiddling with leads and cables and a jump start from the owner (even though it wasn’t the battery), we headed off home. Bless him Shibilli behaved impeccably throughout and when we got him off the trailer he was very relaxed. In fact, so much so that after having a sniff of the ground he dropped to the floor and had a good roll, had a look around, got up then had another roll!
Since he arrived, he’s far better behaved than he used to be although we do have to stay on our toes! He’s living in the group where Moses, Hercules and Chloe reside and they’ve done a great job on explain to him what the protocol is – in donkey language of course! Shibilli really is a bit of a character with a unique personality – we think he’s just been misunderstood?
