In one of the most heartwarming animal rescue stories, a tiny orphan miniature donkey named Roberta has found her forever family—and they happen to be sheep! After losing her mother just 24 hours after birth at Folly Farm in South Wales, this brave little foal defied the odds and is now thriving with her unexpected adoptive siblings.
Born on December 15, 2018, Roberta’s journey began with tragedy when her mother, Marji, passed away the day after delivering her. But the dedicated team at this adventure park and zoo wasn’t about to give up on the spirited foal. Kim Brickell, the farm’s assistant manager, recalls those critical first moments: “Roberta had her mother’s colostrum for the first 24 hours, which was probably a lifesaver. We knew we would have to bottle-rear her but we thought ‘what are we going to feed this baby?'”
Creative Feeding Solutions Lead to Success
The team’s solution was as clever as it was effective. With milking goats already on the farm, they decided to give goat’s milk a try—and Roberta absolutely loved it! “Goats milk has good properties for humans and animals alike so it was our first go to,” Kim explained. The miniature donkey took to the milk instantly and began thriving from day one.
But finding the right surrogate mother proved to be the real game-changer. Unable to locate a suitable equine surrogate, the team introduced Roberta to two friendly one-year-old sheep named Lamby and Snowy. These bottle-reared ewes were the perfect candidates—their gentle temperament and previous bottle-feeding experience made them ideal adoptive mothers.
An Unlikely Family Bond Forms
What happened next was pure magic. “They bonded straight away,” Kim recalled. “We weren’t sure how it was going to go—Roberta was small and fragile—but they were as good as gold. They were really kind to her and so soft.” The three animals now snuggle together at night, creating a picture-perfect family unit that’s captured the hearts of everyone at Folly Farm.
Today, Roberta is doing remarkably well. Her adoptive mothers have taken on every maternal instinct, teaching her how to graze and navigate farm life like a true sheep. “Lamby and Snowy do a lot of the mothering instinct for her,” Kim shared proudly. “Roberta has dropped down to three bottle feeds a day and is doing really well—she adapted to the goat’s milk like she’d been on it from the start.”
Growing Stronger Every Day
The transformation has been remarkable. As the weeks pass, Roberta continues to grow at an impressive rate. “You would never know she doesn’t have a mum,” Kim beamed. “It’s not been detrimental to her life at all.” From a fragile newborn to a thriving young donkey, Roberta’s story proves that love and dedication come in many forms—and sometimes the best families are the ones we least expect.
Roberta’s heartwarming journey serves as a beautiful reminder that when animals—and humans—work together with compassion and creativity, miracles truly do happen. Here’s to this special little donkey and her wonderful woolly family! 🐑❤️🐴