Four donkeys which were stolen from a farm in Northern Ireland nearly two months ago have been reunited with their delighted owner.
The four pet donkeys, which were all in foal, were stolen from the farm of the Clint family in Tandragee, Co Armagh, on November 27th.
The family put out an appeal on Irish and British radio and in Irish and British newspapers for the safe return of the animals, Maggie, Nellie, Blaney and Tessa.
The animals were reunited with a delighted Jennifer Clint in Rathkeale, Co Limerick yesterday.
It is understood the donkeys caught the attention of local people who spotted them grazing in a field with up to 30 horses in recent days.
Local gardaí were alerted and they contacted Ms Clint, who travelled from Co Armagh yesterday to be reunited with the family pets. Gardaí in Rathkeale went to Bruff District Court yesterday morning to obtain a search warrant to enter the lands where the donkeys were located.
Ms Clint left Tandragee at 4am yesterday with her daughter Caroline to be reunited with the animals. "I knew instantly that they were my donkeys," she said.
"They looked a bit traumatised and had lost a bit of weight, but other than that they were well."
However, Ms Clint added that she may now sell them because she could not face the trauma of having them stolen again.
Supt Eddie McKeown of Rathkeale Garda station said they were investigating how the animals ended up in Rathkeale after they were stolen in Co Armagh.
All four donkeys were back feeding in their trailer last night outside the Garda station, pending their return to Armagh.
Anyone with information can contact Rathkeale Garda station at (069) 63222.