Donkey flashes grateful grin after being rescued from floodwaters

A donkey who became stranded in Irish floodwaters has shown his appreciation to his human rescuers by flashing a giant grin.

Photographs of the animal, dubbed “Mike” after one his saviours, have gone viral after they were uploaded on the Animal Heaven Animal Rescue Facebook page on December 7.

The donkey became stuck in tricky waters in Killorglin, County Kerry, after he escaped from his nearby stable.

Animal shelter members Mike and Declan took a small dinghy out to the animal, who was trapped by an overflowing riverbank.

Once back on land, the donkey flashed a huge grin as he rested on the ground, exhausted, and allowed people to hug and pet him.

“It was his owner who called for help. He normally has a shed and field where he is safe, but the storm blew down the gate and he got away, then the floods hit and he was trapped,” the rescue team wrote on Facebook.

The donkey “Mike” is now recuperating from the scare – and recovering in style.

“He is now dried with towels, eating a hot mash, all cozy and warm and our vet had seen him and started him on antibiotics to prevent pneumonia,” the post said.