By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 18 Feb 2016 • 9:44
MINOR IMPROVEMENT: donkeys will at least have more ability to move and get comfortable.
THE donkey soldiers of Mijas will see a minor improvement to their situation, which has provoked outcry far beyond the boundaries of the picturesque Costa del Sol town.
Taking advantage of the low season in order to minutely enhance the working conditions of the so-called ‘Donkey taxis’, the local government will install a railing so that the animals need not be so tightly tied to the wall.
The announcement has been made amid great fanfare by the department of transportation, with councillor Nuria Rodriguez posing triumphantly next to the donkey stands.
She told the media: “It is a laborious work of metal and wood and will take about a month to install,” before going on to claim the donkeys “will have room to be more comfortable and avoid biting one another.”
That last statement is likely to raise a few eyebrows among many of the passionate protestors who have fought against the perceived cruelty of the practice, as covered by the EWN.
Many decry the difficult physical conditions suffered by the animals, forced to carry tourists around the hilly streets in the scorching summer heat. The outcry reached fever pitch levels, when local expat Mark Bajerski captured two handlers beating an exhausted donkey on video and dispersed it across social media.
Mijas Town Hall has since come under intense pressure to abandon the practice entirely, but has also faced strong demands from the donkey managers who argue that the taxi business is their livelihood.
The news appears to hint at some measure of attempted compromise, but it is highly unlikely that the story will end here.
Related article: Donkey drama in Mijas Pueblo always attracts attention
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Lol it’s certainly raised my eyebrows! ( To stop them from biting each other) oh my!Well at least it’s a start. Well done to Mark and everyone who has been involved in trying to stop the mistreatment of these poor defenceless donkeys!
You call this an improvement it,s disgusting ,how would any of you like to be tied up facing a post all day everyday this is cruelty at it,s worst and i hope holiday makers boycott the donkey rides i will be posting on my animal group page for a boycott to be shared ,these poor donkeys need help .
Nuria Rodriguez obviously has totally missed the point — this is NOT the improvement we all campaigned for and if she thinks this is actually going to make any of us shut up . Wake up and smell the coffee Rodriguez ! I and I would imagine all the people who campaigned before will be back on our soap boxes – this is a total farce!!!!
Putting in a metal pole is NOT an improvement for these poor animals. They need food, water, cool sheltered rest area with straw on the floor, saddles/carriages removing during quiet periods, better treatment from their abusers such as not being kicked or punched in the face and may be have fewer donkeys stood waiting so that the shifts can be rotated allowing sufficient resting time. We are now in 21st century. Treatment of animals in this way should be a thing of the past!!!!!
Simples.ComMove into the 21st century and let the poor animals free.Have they not got cars in this place called Mijas?
It’s an absolute disgrace.Nuria Rodrigues shame on you for allowing the donkeys to continue working.Shame on you for not putting the donkey handlers behind bars.
It’s a disgrace,, for goodness sake build a donkey park/sanctuary, a refreshment area, walkways and let the donkeys be free for all to visit,, just don’t ride them!!! People can walk around , look at them, a little shop where children can buy toy donkeys key rings all sorts of donkey toys,, surely that would bring an income for the owners and and happy donkeys..,
You are so right!
What a disgrace……. let these beautiful creatureslive a proper life, if tourists stop wanting to takerides then they might stand a chance of livinga happy life, as we all hope they will.Keep petitioning and get this cruelty stoppedas quickly as possible. Totally barbaricand inhuman treatment.
Stop this inhuman treatment of these beautiful animalsis barbaric to say the least. They should be treated with the respect and kindness they deserve.Tourists should most definitely boycott riding theseand find some other way like feet ……..Stop this cruelty immediately, it is upsettingand totally unnecessary to put these lovely creatures through this totally outdated regime.
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