A year of joy for Bobby and Baguette

Bobby 12, and thirteen-year-old Baguette are thriving under the diligent care of Zoey, a soon-to-be retired detective sergeant, and her husband Tony, who retired as a police sergeant a few months ago.  

The couple opted to take on the two donkeys as they came to the end of their careers, and it’s a decision that Zoey says she couldn’t imagine ever going back on. 

With more than 25 years in the force, Zoey has had to endure the mental load of daily policing. 

Though her days are much happier now, Zoey’s struggle to process the trauma she endured in her many years in the role means she has to juggle the challenges posed by post-traumatic stress disorder. 

“As a police officer, I didn’t process the trauma I endured,” Zoey explains. “I was almost a bit numb to the outside world. As an officer within the Criminal Investigation Department, you see a lot of things you should never be exposed to as a human being. 

“At the time, it’s part of the job, but readjusting to retirement has seen my experiences come to the forefront of my mind. Bobby and Baguette are my calm; I just lose the day when I’m with them because I’m so hopelessly in love with them.” 

It’s not just Zoey that Bobby and Baguette have impacted. Her 29-year-old son Jack, who is an autistic person with high support needs, also shares an unbreakable bond with the long-eared pair. 

“Jack was part of my motivation to care for some donkeys,” Zoey adds. “He was always drawn to donkeys, and he’s not the type of person to head towards anything of his own volition. 

“As an autistic person, Jack does become stuck in his routines, but we have found that he will come out of those routines if we are doing anything that involves Bobby and Baguette.” 

A long-realised dream

Zoey’s journey to becoming a Donkey Guardian has been many years in the making. 

Having always admired donkeys ‘from afar’ – visiting The Donkey Sanctuary’s Sidmouth headquarters and having a permanent link to donkeys thanks to an adopted donkey via her daughter – it was the move back to her parents-in-law’s home in Worcestershire that saw the idea of rehoming donkeys turn into reality. 

The smallholding where she currently lives was already home to a small number of sheep, but more importantly, offered land that was perfect for housing donkeys. 

“My father-in-law also loves donkeys, which was an added advantage when considering whether to become a Guardian,” Zoey says. “He was more than happy for us to give a couple of donkeys a home. 

“After expressing my intent to become a Guardian through The Donkey Sanctuary’s website, my Donkey Welfare Adviser Hannie Buckley sent me some photos of Bobby and Baguette a few months before they arrived. 

“Straight away, I was like ‘wow’ – to be honest, it wouldn’t have mattered which donkeys they were, I was so excited.” 

In the months before the donkeys’ arrival, Zoey spent time making sure the field was ready to house them. 

This included putting up strip electric fencing, laying down some more hardstanding in an existing field shelter and adjusting the spacious paddocks so Bobby and Baguette could enjoy their own space, away from the resident sheep. 

“I didn’t believe it was happening until the second the donkey transporter vehicle pulled up in the yard,” Zoey adds. 

“In the first weeks of their arrival, Tony, my father-in-law and I spent a lot of time with them, just scratching and brushing them on their terms. 

“Baguette was quite nervous and shy, and particularly fearful of men, probably due to some unknown past trauma. He required a lot of work from Tony and my father-in-law to build up his trust, but they persevered and now they’re best mates. 

“Jack met them pretty much immediately and I can’t describe it properly or give it enough justice; it’s as if the donkeys knew he was autistic”. 

“Jack is non-speaking, but quite loud and lively. They were so gentle with him – even Baguette wasn’t scared of him. They calmly approached Jack and put their noses on him and remained peaceful while he was being lively. 

“They have been a very calming influence on Jack; around the boys he grins from ear to ear and remains calm.  

“It’s as if they both know! They have completely enriched his life, and he can see them in the field from his bedroom window.”

A happy future

Although it’s only been a year since they arrived, Zoey can’t imagine life without Bobby and Baguette. 

“They’re the reason I get up,” she says. “I sustained quite a severe and traumatic injury to my left hip, so I need to keep moving. Bobby and Baguette are the reason I get out of bed.

“It does me good to brush them and muck out their stable. Bobby is the most confident donkey I know and always has his nose pushed into everything I’m doing. 

“If I’m poo picking, he’ll have the wheelbarrow handle in his mouth trying to knock it over. When I’m doing other maintenance jobs, he’ll steal my tools and run off. 

“Baguette, on the other hand, is my gentleman, He is very polite and quiet, and we are building up his confidence every day. I’m sure that going forward he’ll be okay and will learn to live life to the fullest. 

“It’s the truth when I say I can’t imagine my life without donkeys!”