--- description: The distressed animal had become stuck in floodwaters after the river next to his field broke its banks. title: This Smiling Donkey Couldn't Have Been Happier to Be Rescued image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # This Smiling Donkey Couldn't Have Been Happier to Be Rescued  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Dec 7, 2015 5:15 PM CUT  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Dec 7, 2015 5:15 PM CUT When the [Animal Heaven Rescue Centre](https://www.facebook.com/ahar.ie/ "undefined") in Kerry, Ireland, received a call about a drowning [donkey](http://time.com/4132465/donkey-driven-home-back-police-car/ "undefined") on Sunday, rescuer Suzanne Gibbons responded immediately. The distressed animal became stranded after a nearby river flooded his field. The Centre posted on Facebook to request the help of a volunteer with a boat. “At first I couldn’t find anybody willing to help me go in because the river was flooding really badly,” Gibbons told [BuzzFeed News](http://www.buzzfeed.com/aliciamelvillesmith/the-happiest-donkey#.qavzanyXl "undefined"). But luckily, two local men soon came to Gibbons’ aid. The group was then able to get the donkey to safety using only a dinghy and a life ring. When he was finally back on shore, his expression of gratitude said it all. The centre later announced that they had named the donkey Mike after one of the volunteer rescuers and that he was doing great. “He is now dried with towels, eating a hot mash, all cozy and warm and our vet has seen him and started him on antibiotics to prevent pneumonia,” they said. ### See Portrait Photographs of Shelter Dogs  Luigi, a puggle, which is a very highly desired "designer breed" was put up for adoption almost immediately because his family was moving. Traer Scott  Molly is a super-affectionate senior golden retriever who was separated from her owner of ten years after the woman was forced to move into elderly housing that did not allow pets. Traer Scott  Bandit, a Maltese mix, was seized from an elderly owner who was deemed unfit to provide proper care for animals. Traer Scott  Hope was born with deformed front and back legs. She was adopted right before she was euthanized. Traer Scott  Foxtrot is a purebred Chinese crested. Her owner was a victim of domestic violence and was forced to enter into a victim relocation program. Traer Scott  Salt was surrendered along with his brother, Justice. She lost her home after he owner's landlord changed his mind about allowing dogs. Traer Scott  Layla was surrendered to the shelter after her family fell on very difficult financial times. Traer Scott  Morrissey originally found as a stray, he developed a case of mange that caused him to lose a third of his fur. Traer Scott ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4138495/smiling-donkey-rescued-from-floodwaters/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4138495/smiling-donkey-rescued-from-floodwaters/"},"headline":"This Smiling Donkey Couldn't Have Been Happier to Be Rescued","datePublished":"2015-12-07T17:15:11.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:46:47.071Z","description":"He had been stranded in a flood","url":"https://time.com/4138495/smiling-donkey-rescued-from-floodwaters/","keywords":["Newsfeed","animals","viral","Floods","Ireland"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4138495/smiling-donkey-rescued-from-floodwaters/","name":"This Smiling Donkey Couldn't Have Been Happier to Be Rescued"}}]}] ```