People came just to see Stevie (From Bucks Free Press)

People came just to see Stevie

1:35pm Friday 19th September 2008 in

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A POPULAR little white donkey who won the hearts of visitors at the Speen-based Home of Rest for Horses has died.

Stevie, who was 32, had to be put to sleep after suffering an incurable attack of colic.

He was much-loved by staff and visitors at the home in Slad Lane and adored human company, often squeaking for attention whenever anybody walked past his stable, staff said.

Recently however, Stevie had become unusually quiet and was not eating.

Despite receiving medical treatment, he was diagnosed with incurable colic and was put down after a vet’s second visit.

Susan Lewis, marketing manager for the trust, said: “He was a huge favourite with visitors, he was always in for every visiting time and everybody loved him because he was so affectionate.

“He had no bad bone in his body, people used to come up just to see Stevie.

“He was slightly scraggy looking, but that made him even more endearing somehow. You couldn’t really resist him.”

She added: “The day that he died was just horrific. I had a text at home on the Saturday evening, that’s the impact he had on us.

“It was a tough day all round.

“It doesn’t seem quite the same because he was quite a noisy character. Even if you couldn’t see him you’d hear him.”

Stevie had lived at the home since 2006.