Encounter in Leoben

Maltreated donkeys connect people’s hearts

Uli Kettner, who looks after the outstanding donkey rescue from Leoben with great dedication

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

They are called "Lancelot", "Emmerich" or "Susi", still love people despite their mostly terrible fates - and they connect hearts: animal-loving clients of Jugend am Werk and "Sommerspaß" children have now come closer together at the hearty long-eared donkeys of the "Donkey Rescue" association in Leoben.

"Emmerich" has had a terrible life. The donkey was given to a Styrian as a present - who neither wanted the gray animal nor was able to find a suitable home for him. So the poor fellow vegetated in a ten square meter garage for 15 years. Without sun, on concrete, and above all, very badly for the social creature, without a conspecific. Finally, the "Donkey Rescue Leoben" was able to give him a new life; since then he has been standing in the meadow with his friends and is simply happy. 

From the slaughterhouse to paradise
Just like "Lancelot". Only six months old, his owners gave him to the slaughterhouse without empathy, wanting to collect the meat price. But the healthy, bright animal moved the meat chopper, who informed Uli Kettner, who rescued him. And "Lancelot" has developed magnificently and is visibly happy.

Ulrich Kettner, patron saint of donkeys

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

Uli Kettner is actually a "saint" of animals, something like a patron saint of donkeys. He currently has 207 donkeys on his pastures, most of them from previously miserable husbandry or orphaned after death.
Last year alone, the pensioner covered 104,000 kilometers for this purpose, picking up a poor animal every second day on average. He nursed them back to health when they were half-starved and had their hooves done, which are sometimes so long and deformed that the animal can barely walk.

Commitment takes a lot of time and money
This costs the pensioner, who has already won the highest animal welfare prizes (including those from the state and the "Krone") with his initiative, 75,000 euros a year because there is hardly anything like it. But Uli (and his great team!) doesn't "just" look after the donkeys, takes them to mountain pastures in the summer, looks after the meadows, mucks out and has so much to do that it would take three times as many hours a day. For him, it is also important to connect.

The children who took part in the "Summer Fun" program of the municipality of Leoben clearly had a lot of fun

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

Leopold and Johanna with their mom and little sister Elisabeth also enjoyed being petted

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

And so the first official meeting took place on Monday. Directly on the meadow, in the midst of the good-natured long-eared animals, in a cheerful summer atmosphere. Children of all ages were invited, as well as adult clients of Jugend am Werk.

A benefit for adults too
"I'm Bine," said a 48-year-old woman who loves knitting and crocheting at Jugend am Werk. She has also loved donkeys since childhood because her great-grandmother had some. "The dappled one there is already my favorite," she said enthusiastically. Gerti, who otherwise excels in maintenance at Jugend am Werk and also keeps cemeteries in bloom, loves "all animals in general".

Youth at work

Clients from the Leoben branch of Jugend am Werk came to the "donkey rescue" on Monday

33 Styrians are currently employed there

Some of them already help muck out the stables four times a week at the "Donkey Rescue" and are of course paid for their work.

The participants have physical or mental disabilities.

They work in different groups, for example in the mailroom, maintenance, crafts or manual work.

There is also a production training course where young people are trained, particularly in the areas of carpentry and metalwork.

It doesn't take long for all the guests to get to know each other through the four-legged friends, grooming, brushing and scratching. "There's no other way," says a delighted Uli Kettner, who also enjoys this day and would like to expand such meetings even further.

It's no wonder that praise comes from all sides: "We think it's great what is achieved here at the 'Donkey Rescue'. And that the children can experience the animals up close and learn about them and their needs," says the mother of Johanna, Leopold and little Elisabeth. Their little ones' eyes light up when they see the donkey from afar.

Bine (right) and Gerti were delighted with the long-eared animals

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

What a wonderful day for the big ones, the little ones, the long-eared donkeys and Ulrich Kettner.

What Uli Kettner has put together, what he and his team achieve on a daily basis, is actually superhuman. At 75,000 euros a year, the costs are almost unbearable. If you would like to help, this is truly outstanding animal welfare: IBAN: AT14 2081 5000 4169 9117, info: eselrettung.at