Chiclet was rescued in early spring 2000 by a caring supporter of the DSC. Until the time of his rescue, Chiclet was living alone in a field on a farm outside Kingston, Ontario.
When Chiclet was admitted to the Sanctuary Farm, his hooves were so overgrown that he hobbled slowly whenever he tried to walk. It was evident that his hooves had never been trimmed. His body was covered with ticks, there were patches of sunburn all over his face, and the tips of his ears had broken off, probably due to frostbite.
From the moment of his arrival at the DSC, Chiclet was given specialist care. His coat was shaved, the ticks were removed from his body, his hooves received an urgently-needed trim, zinc oxide was applied to the patches of sunburn on his face and body, and his ears were cleaned and medicated.
With each passing day, Chiclet’s health improved. Once his hooves were trimmed, his gait stabilized. The patches of sunburn healed and his coat regrew. In time, he was running around the barnyard, curious about the other donkeys whose behaviour he began to imitate.
In particular, Chiclet befriended Paco, a miniature donkey with a deformed jaw. At first Paco was impatient with Chiclet but, as the weeks passed, Paco became accustomed to having a white ‘shadow’ always at his side. Chiclet was a gentle donkey who loved the attention he received from staff and visitors.