This is a digital painting taken from a photograph taken at the Radcliffe Donkey Sanctuary. The Donkey sanctuary is run by a private couple and their family and friends, financed by public donations if you want to donate or see what they do then click HERE 

Some of the stories are horrendous, like keeping a donkey going, giving rides on the beach, when it is too old and it's back is bent way beyond it's proper position. whilst this is not necessarily deliberate cruelty it is certainly cruel when that loyal animal has given way beyond the call of duty... worse are stories of traveller's ill treating animals for entertainment, doing a bit of research I have come to the conclusion that people who are cruel to animals for fun and entertainment (ie foxhunting, dogfighting etc etc) are usually of a lower intelligence (they might be higher in the hierachy ie wealthier, but certainly less enriched in the brain department) than normal people who find these activities abhorrent, cowardly scumbags all!!