From Stray To Spoiled: The Luxury Life Of Alfredito, The Rescued 'Wild Donkey'

For many, the only rescued "wild donkey" we knew was the infamous talking one from the DreamWorks classic, "Shrek." However, one adorably sweet video is changing that, featuring Alfredito, the once-stray donkey whose life completely changed when he met his new adopted mom. However, his journey there was harrowing.

"He looked more like a shadow than a donkey," shared Yaileny Sanchez with Cuddle Buddies, who met a sickly two-day-old Alfredito at a facility. He was born into poor conditions to a donkey mom who was not able to care for him, and he could barely walk. Luckily, Yaileny sent Alfredito to a hospital to recover, and after 13 days, his condition improved. Finally, Alfredito got the okay to leave with his new adopted mom, Yaileny — and that's when things got fun!

Now, Alfredito can be found roaming around inside Yaileny's home, drinking water out of the faucet, and "following her everywhere like a little dog." Yaileny founded Second Chance Farm to help adorable farm animals like Alfredito recover and live more fulfilling lives. Though he still loves exploring Yaileny's house, Alfredito's now old enough to live outside. That doesn't mean his luxury life is over, however. Alfredito still spends much of his time inside, and let's just say there is no shortage of treats for this cute little donkey.

Alfredito's living a life of luxury, and we couldn't be happier. Before Alfredito's stray-to-spoiled story, you may not have heard of a donkey house-pet before. However, these super cute creatures have been interacting with humans for thousands of years. While there are likely plenty of people who love horses, fewer may know much about their equine relative, the donkey. So, let's change that with some fun donkey facts!

Donkeys were domesticated around 5-7,000 years ago in Africa, and spread around the world quite quickly. That's likely because these animals have played such a major role in agriculture and transporting goods over time, making them a necessity in many parts of society. Despite their many benefits on farms around the world, these animals have gained a reputation for being pretty darn stubborn. Donkeys are known to hesitate before doing things they might find threatening. A 2021 Applied Animal Behaviour Science study found that this stubbornness might actually be a sign of their high intelligence. 

If you happen to have a fair amount of outdoor space or a farm, donkeys can be pretty solid pets. Plus, with the right supervision and care, donkeys can live well with other pets, too. Who knows, you may find your donkey and other animals get along swimmingly, like Alfredito and his indoor buddies,  or this donkey and Maine coon cat's friendship that's truly too pure for this world.