Talk of the Town

Fond farewell for Emily the donkey

7 min read
PARTING IS SWEET SORROW: A final beach walk with friends for Emily the donkey, being fed some apple by Martin Wolmarans, grandson of Wollie and Annerie Wolmarans, who raised the rescue donkey Picture: JON HOUZET
PARTING IS SWEET SORROW: A final beach walk with friends for Emily the donkey, being fed some apple by Martin Wolmarans, grandson of Wollie and Annerie Wolmarans, who raised the rescue donkey Picture: JON HOUZET

ABOUT 20 locals who have become friends of Emily the donkey gathered at the West Beach Drive home of Wollie and Annerie Wolmarans last Saturday for a farewell party for the little donkey that stole all their hearts.

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PARTING IS SWEET SORROW: A final beach walk with friends for Emily the donkey, being fed some apple by Martin Wolmarans, grandson of Wollie and Annerie Wolmarans, who raised the rescue donkey Picture: JON HOUZET
PARTING IS SWEET SORROW: A final beach walk with friends for Emily the donkey, being fed some apple by Martin Wolmarans, grandson of Wollie and Annerie Wolmarans, who raised the rescue donkey Picture: JON HOUZET
UMBRELLA FRIENDS: Taking shelter during a sudden shower on Saturday afternoon while going for a walk with Emily the donkey at Flame Lilly Beach are, from left, Edna Smethurst, Gift Wallace, Sandy Fryer and Annerie Wolmarans Picture: JON HOUZET
UMBRELLA FRIENDS: Taking shelter during a sudden shower on Saturday afternoon while going for a walk with Emily the donkey at Flame Lilly Beach are, from left, Edna Smethurst, Gift Wallace, Sandy Fryer and Annerie Wolmarans Picture: JON HOUZET
YOUR FOOD AND MINE: Siblings, from left, Amber, Phillip and Kyra Rogers enjoyed munching on some cake while feeding Emily the donkey apples and carrots. It was a farewell party for Emily who was taken to live on a farm near East London Picture: JON HOUZET
YOUR FOOD AND MINE: Siblings, from left, Amber, Phillip and Kyra Rogers enjoyed munching on some cake while feeding Emily the donkey apples and carrots. It was a farewell party for Emily who was taken to live on a farm near East London Picture: JON HOUZET
HAVE SOME CARROT: Tim Waller and his son Clay were among the locals who came to the farewell party for Emily the donkey at the house of Wollie and Annerie Wolmarans last Saturday Picture: JON HOUZET
HAVE SOME CARROT: Tim Waller and his son Clay were among the locals who came to the farewell party for Emily the donkey at the house of Wollie and Annerie Wolmarans last Saturday Picture: JON HOUZET

Emily was fetched on Sunday by her new family who live on a farm near East London.

Annerie shed some tears at the gathering on Saturday, as she related her work with donkeys over the past 40 years, rescuing many from abusive owners while also encouraging better treatment for the beasts of burden through the Makana Donkey Association she founded in 2002.

Emily has become symbolic of all those donkeys, rescued from certain death in Grahamstown at only five days old. She was tended to by a veterinarian before Annerie took her home to raise her over the past two months. Wollie and Annerie fed her a bottle of warm milk five times a day and gave her plenty of apples and carrots.

She slept in a wendyhouse and became a familiar sight on the beach near Flame Lilly when Annerie and Wollie took their entire menagerie for a walk – two cats, three dogs and the donkey all getting along like old mates.

Adults and children alike petted the little donkey and enjoyed a slice of cake at the farewell party.

Annerie said female donkeys have been found to be good guardians for herds of sheep, with a number of her rescues being used by farmers for this purpose.