Parasailing Donkey Rescued and Offered Star-Studded Home

Anapaka, the donkey that was cruelly harnessed to a parasail by her owner and carried over a resort at the Black Sea in Russia to promote tourism has had a wonderful change of luck.

She has been rescued and offered a glamorous new life.

First Anapaka was rescued by a team from The Sun newspaper after they covered her terrifying ordeal. And now the 17-year-old donkey has been invited by famous Spurs manager Harry Redknapp to live at his farm sanctuary in England.

The manager of the soccer team (football in the UK) was horrified after he heard how Anapaka had been hoisted into the air 150ft strapped to a parachute and sent over the water kicking and screaming. The tortured animal was pulled through the sky behind a speedboat for 30 minutes.

The incident outraged vacationers who witnessed the event and animal lovers worldwide. Care2 blogger Alicia Graef wrote about the entire case of abuse in her story titled “Marketing Fail: Parasailing Donkey.”

The Sun has now become Anapaka’s legal owner and they made arrangements for her to be boarded at an equine facility. They were in the middle of talking to the department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to bring Anapaka to the UK when Redknapp stepped-in with his offer.

Redknapp told The Sun, “I am sickened by the actions of the scumbag who treated Anapaka so badly. If I had my way, I’d throw the idiot in prison.”

But the Russian police do not plan to press charges against 32-year-old Vasily Gorobets. The Sun blames it on “Russia’s slack animal protection laws.” Gorobets had leased Anapaka from her owner after saying that he wanted to take kids on donkey rides.

Anapaka’s plight captured the hearts of many animal lovers. Moscow received letters from Canada, Scotland and all over the world. Actress and animal rights advocate Brigitte Bardot was so outraged, she made a personal call to complain to President Dmitry Medvedev.

Please Click Here to Sign the Care2 Petition to Condemn the Parasailing Donkey Stunt.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Annmari L.

11:56AM PST on Feb 5, 2011

News as of today, is that Anapaka has succumbed to heart failure. Tragic as it is, at least she had the last few months of her live with people that respect animals. RIP, Anapaka.

send a green star

Monique D.

9:33AM PDT on Sep 14, 2010

What a horrible thing, shame on the "owner". I wouldn't call this person a guardian, how could they treat an animal so cruelly.

androniki k.

6:29AM PDT on Aug 18, 2010

one of a unlucky - lucky donkey...mad people...

Silvia P.

8:58AM PDT on Aug 17, 2010

I'm in tears...of happiness. Finally this poor donkey will have the life she deserves!

Mary M.

7:46AM PDT on Aug 17, 2010

It sickens me to think about what this poor animal went through! I can't wait for him to start his new life. I don't know about the memory of donkeys, but I hope he can forget his horrible past.

Ashley N.

6:29PM PDT on Aug 14, 2010

Glad to hear, thanks for sharing.

Laura S.

11:28PM PDT on Aug 13, 2010

Thanks for the follow-up on this story. I wondered what had happened to that poor donkey. It's a relief to know that he survived his "flight".

I also appreciate a story about an actual animal in the "Animal Welfare" section. It's refreshing.

Concerned C.

12:40PM PDT on Aug 13, 2010

Wow, I am very pleased and inspired that more than 2000 people agreed that the idiot owner should be prosecuted.

Juan Pablo d.

2:28PM PDT on Aug 11, 2010

Bad judging sends people to jail every day, this case ain't different.

Roisin S.

9:13AM PDT on Aug 11, 2010

I had heard from the Donkey Sanctuary they were adopting this donkey but so long as she is rescued from her idiot owner and looked after that's the main thing