Woman Finds Baby Donkey Rejected by Mom, Steps Up in Most Extraordinary Way

A donkey has been given a second chance after being abandoned and attacked by his mother, just moments after his birth.

Sara Weldon and her fiance Rick were taking a walk on their farm in Clermont, Florida, when they stumbled upon the newborn Cash and his mother, Emma, in a rarely visited part of their property.

"For some reason, we decided to visit a part of the farm we rarely if ever visit. It's a good thing we did. That's where we saw a newborn baby Cash and his mother, Emma. We knew Emma was pregnant, but we didn't expect the baby to come as soon as he did," Weldon told Newsweek.

"Unfortunately, shortly after she gave birth to Cash, Emma began to attack him. We were horrified at first, but then quickly jumped into action, separating Cash from Emma, and eventually bringing him back to our farmhouse."

Back at the property, Weldon threw herself into caring for the young donkey, bottle-feeding him every two hours and giving him the care and love he needed.

Sara Weldon holds Cash, left, and the animal drinks from a bottle, right. She told Newsweek she threw herself into caring for the young donkey. Sara Weldon holds Cash, left, and the animal drinks from a bottle, right. She told Newsweek she threw herself into caring for the young donkey. Sara Weldon / @oursimplehomestead/TikTok

Before long, Cash became a constant companion on the farm and made friends with the other animals.

Donkeys sometimes reject young foals for a variety of reasons, from inexperience to resource limitation, but usually this means that the youngster will be left to die. Thankfully, the outcome for Cash couldn't have been more different, and he is now thriving with his new family.

Dubbed their "little miracle," Weldon said: "He spends time roaming in our house, and also outside with the other farm animals. He has formed a tremendous bond with our three dogs, and is making friends with some other rescue donkeys we have recently brought onto the farm."

From left: Sara Weldon holds Cash; and feeds him from a bottle. She told Newsweek he has made friends with the other animals on her farm in Florida. From left: Sara Weldon holds Cash; and feeds him from a bottle. She told Newsweek he has made friends with the other animals on her farm in Florida. Sara Weldon / @oursimplehomestead/TikTok

Cash's story has captivated internet users, with a video of his story viewed more than 1.4 million times on TikTok. "We were so moved by the outpouring of love and support from strangers all over the world," Weldon said.

In light of his newfound fame, she has released a children's book titled Cash the Baby Donkey: A Story of Love and Resilience. It details Cash's dramatic birth, rescue, and integration into the Weldon family.

The book also includes a 16-page activity section with pictures to color in, mazes, word finds, and even a cutout of Cash's ears for children to wear. A portion of the book's proceeds will benefit Peaceful Pastures Donkey Rescue, a Missouri-based sanctuary that has rescued over 450 donkeys from abuse, neglect, or malnutrition.