Retired vet Stuart Easby uses YouTube in effort to help sick donkeys in the Middle East

Stuart Easby, who lives near Stamford Bridge, is a retired vet who now runs a veterinary advice line. But he also travels through to Israel and Palestine to help Safe Haven For Donkeys In The Holy Land (SHADH), a charity which aims to improve the plight of injured donkeys in the two countries.

The charity is based at Gan Yoshiyya, near the towns of Netanya and Hadera, in Israel.

Charity workers say when donkeys are sick, too old, or surplus to requirement, they are just left to fend for themselves. Mr Easby’s latest fundraising venture involves putting a video on You Tube showing the plight of donkeys in the Middle East.

Backed by sponsor William Hill, the betting company, My Easby has pledged to save a donkey for every 50 times the video is watched The video now has 3,026 hits, meaning 152 donkeys will be cared for next time Mr Easby visits Israel and Palestine, which should be in the summer.

The reel shows a stray donkey that had been doused with petrol and set alight, another donkey whose leg was blown off and other donkeys that have been injured or left to die.

The 60-year-old has spent years fundraising for SHADH. In 2008 he ran the Redcar Half-Marathon for the charity, despite fracturing his femur when he fell off a horse. He has also taken part in the Athens marathon which dates back to 490 BC.

He said: “I first got involved nearly five years ago after seeing an advert in the Horse And Hound.

“Working with donkeys is absolutely amazing and I will continue helping them for as long as I possibly can.”

SHADH said that donkeys can be bought there for as little as 100 shekels – about £17.

As they are so inexpensive no veterinary care is given to sick or injured donkeys as in most cases it would be cheaper to buy a new animal.

Therefore many donkeys are often tied to a post without food or water and left to die.

Anyone who would like to donate to the charity can do something by visiting safehaven4donkeys.org