Two-week-old donkey foal goes missing and is found dead in horrific state the next day

In the Netherlands, a two-week-old miniature donkey went missing and was found shot dead the next day in the same place it had disappeared. The rare reddish-colored foal Pleuntje vanished from a donkey sanctuary on Monday evening, September 7.

Six people searched for the small animal for several hours. They continued the search until 1:30 AM and resumed at dawn. However, no trace of Pleuntje was found.

Nevertheless, on Tuesday afternoon, its body was found in the exact spot where the animal had disappeared. Although sanctuary staff had checked the area dozens of times, nothing had been detected earlier.

Pleuntje was found with a gunshot wound to the chest. It also had severe injuries to its neck, legs, and eye.

Sanctuary owner Marlxene Moes suspects that thieves climbed over the fence, picked up the foal, and took it to a waiting vehicle. She believes they may have dumped the body back at the same spot after realizing it would be difficult to sell.

Pleuntje did not have a microchip, passport, or vaccination records, making it difficult to sell on the black market. However, the price of miniature donkeys with proper documentation can reach up to 13,000 pounds sterling. can reach.

Pleuntje lived at the Stichting Het Ezelpaleis sanctuary in Baarle-Nassau, Netherlands. This facility is dedicated to protecting neglected donkeys.

The sanctuary owner locked the area at approximately 7:30 PM. When she returned to feed the herd, she noticed Pleuntje was missing.

During the search, a reward of 850 pounds sterling was also announced. Appeals for information regarding the missing foal were distributed across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France.

However, around 1:00 PM on Tuesday, while Moes was showing guests around the sanctuary, she spotted Pleuntje's body.

“He was lying on his side with a gunshot wound to his chest. We had crossed that field 50 times,” she said.

According to reports, the bullet entered the foal's left thigh and exited through the right side of its chest. There were also injuries to its neck and legs, and signs of severe trauma to one of its eyes.

Moes believes Pleuntje was specifically targeted due to its unique reddish color. Meanwhile, no other foal was touched.

“They must have been professionals. Who would do such a thing to a foal that hasn't even grown its teeth yet?” the sanctuary owner said.

The sanctuary has surveillance cameras, but none fully cover the pasture area. Authorities are asking anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious on Monday evening to contact law enforcement.