Loppy is a thirteen-year-old mare donkey standing at 14.2 hands and has ears nearly eighteen inches long
– believed to be the longest ears of any female donkey in the country! In 1996 she came down from Scotland to a livestock market in Southall where she was bought by a sympathetic horse dealer who, knowing we could provide her with a good home, offered her to us.
After some research, we have discovered that she is an Andalucian or Cordobese donkey; a special type bred in the fertile valleys of the Guadalquivis in Spain. As the breed is in danger of becoming extinct, the Military Stud as Ecija has taken steps to establish a register and recover the breed.
Loppy is quite a celebrity. She has appeared on Channel 4’s Pet Rescueand Central TV News as well as in several newspapers including the Daily Mail. Despite her size, she is a very gentle and friendly donkey who seems to love lots of attention. We are lucky to have two other Andalucian donkeys at the Sanctuary, Mrs P and Mabel, with whom Loppy shares a stable. There are only around 120 Anadalucian donkeys left in the world, so to have three at our Sanctuary provides us with a great opportunity to continue the breed should we be able to move an Andalucian stallion to the UK.