Alberta family pleading for pet donkey’s safe return

Watch above: RCMP are investigating a bizarre kidnapping case. The victim is a donkey who was swiped right from the farm. Laurel Gregory reports.

EDMONTON – A family in Leduc County is speaking out after Eeyore, their pet donkey, was stolen from their farm.

“It’s worrying,” said owner Tim Lessing. “We’ve had him in the family for seven, almost eight years now. He’s become quite a pet.  Everybody in the family loves to come over and see the donkey.”

His young daughter is also quite upset.

“She just couldn’t understand why someone would want to take her donkey.”

According to Leduc RCMP, a witness saw two women with a black Jeep Cherokee loading the donkey into a trailer at 1 p.m. on May 12.

Robin Lessing, Tim’s aunt who lives nearby, says she saw the women taking the donkey on her way to work.

“I stopped to ask if they needed help to get him home,” she said.

“They told me they were fine – they didn’t need help – that they had contacted the owner and they were on their way to come and pick the donkey up and take him home.”

Robin was under the impression the women were returning the donkey to her nephew.

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RCMP are now asking the public to be on the lookout for the stolen donkey.

“This was a family pet and the owner is quite upset about the theft,” said Cst. Burchett.

Tim adds that Eeyore’s mate is also distraught.

“Donkeys are very social animals, and they like to have companionship,” he explained. “Since he’s been gone she’s been calling out.”

RCMP have also sent a notice to livestock officials, and are monitoring social media in hopes of locating the animal.

Anyone with information on the stolen donkey is asked to contact Leduc RCMP or Crime Stoppers.