Donkey Trails Montenegro

02/09/2026

Merlin ❤️ – a little glimpse of happiness

This video made us so happy yesterday. ❤️ Merlin is rolling in the sand – and for us, that is a beautiful little sign that, despite everything, he is feeling a little bit comfortable and content.

Yesterday, we also received the final results of his blood tests. His kidney values and the liver values we were able to test look good. His triglycerides are also not elevated, so there is currently no indication of hyperlipaemia.

However, Merlin has mild anaemia and low blood protein levels. Both can be related to his very poor nutritional condition.

The most important thing is that he is now eating enough soaked hay cubes to keep his weight and condition stable for the time being. He is unlikely to gain much weight from them, but this should help us keep him going until his appointment with the specialist from England. We expect to hear this week when the team will be able to come. 🙏

The first hay cubes that you donated for Merlin have also arrived. ❤️ Thank you, thank you so much!

And then there is the incredible €2,025 that has now been donated for Merlin. We honestly cannot thank you enough. ❤️

Part of this will be needed for his treatment. Whatever remains, we would like to invest in an electric dental rasp and suitable equipment. After being trained by the specialist, this would give us much better options for treating teeth safely and precisely, including areas that are difficult to reach – something that, as we have seen with Merlin, quickly reaches its limits with manual tools.

Because many people may not know this: donkey teeth grow throughout their entire lives. They need to be checked regularly and treated when necessary. And with Merlin’s severe dental malformation, his teeth will unfortunately remain a lifelong challenge – he will very likely need another specialised treatment even a year from now.

So with your help, you are not only helping Merlin today. You are helping us be better prepared to help donkeys like him in the future. ❤️

Thank you. From the bottom of our hearts. ❤️

27/08/2026

🫏 A little update on Merlin ❤️

Many of you have asked whether help for Merlin is on the way.

We have received today a very positive response from Chris, an experienced equine dental specialist in England. He and his team are now checking their schedules and flight options to see when they can come to Montenegro and treat Merlin with the specialised equipment he urgently needs. ❤️

In the meantime, our wonderful veterinarian Arben Hajdari continues to support Merlin and is doing everything he can to keep him stable.

Merlin is still very weak and his dental problems remain urgent. But today he accepted his soaked hay cubes a little better. ❤️ Every little bit of progress gives us hope.

Thanks to all of you, we have already raised over € 900 for Merlin, with additional donations promised. We have also received wonderful offers of hay cubes for Merlin and Muck. ❤️

We will keep you updated as soon as we know when Chris and his team can come.

Thank you for standing by Merlin. 🙏🏼🫏❤️

25/08/2026

🫏 Merlin’s dental situation – Part 2

Here you can see our veterinarian Arben Hajdari carefully working on Merlin’s teeth with our manual equipment.

We were able to treat some areas successfully, but unfortunately we cannot reach the most problematic areas with this equipment. This is exactly why we now need a specialist with powered dental equipment.

❤️ Thank you to Arben for his incredible dedication to Merlin!

25/08/2026

🫏 Merlin urgently needs our help ❤️

Sorry that things have been a little quiet here lately. It is not only high season, but a lot has happened behind the scenes. We have taken in several new rescue animals, including two little cats and two sheep. We will tell you more about them another time.

Today, it is about Merlin, an estimated 15-year-old donkey who has only been with us for a few days.

When we first saw him, it was immediately clear that we had to bring him to safety. He is extremely emaciated and in very poor physical condition. He had spent several weeks on a property and had apparently been feeding largely on figs. The lovely people who found him have also continued to support us with his care. ❤️

His biggest problem is his teeth. Several cheek teeth are severely overgrown. Two upper teeth are growing deeply into his cheek, and there is an extremely long tooth at the very back of his lower jaw. We simply cannot reach the worst areas with our manual equipment.

Our wonderful veterinarian Arben Hajdari has already treated everything that was safely possible under the circumstances. Unfortunately, we simply cannot reach the most problematic areas with our manual equipment. Merlin also injured his tongue during the treatment, so we had to stop.

In a second post, we will show you how Arben tried to treat Merlin’s teeth with our manual equipment – and why we have now reached the limits of what we can do with it.

Merlin cannot eat enough because of his teeth. In his already extremely weak condition, getting his teeth treated is vital to saving his life.

We urgently need an equine dental specialist with specialised powered equipment. We contacted an experienced specialist in England, who believes the overgrowths can potentially be treated without general anaesthesia. He has even offered to potentially travel to Montenegro with someone from his team to treat Merlin. ❤️

We estimate that we will need around €1,500 for his treatment.

❤️ Help Merlin

PayPal:
paypal.me/DonkeyTrailsME

Every donation helps us make this treatment possible.

We also urgently need hay cubes. Merlin can currently eat only very small amounts, and our supply is running low. Our old boy Muck, who has very few teeth left, is completely dependent on them too.

If you are driving from Germany to Montenegro soon and could bring us one or two bags of hay cubes, we would be incredibly grateful! Just send us a message and we will tell you where you can easily get them.

Thank you to everyone who has already offered help, shared contacts or supported Merlin in any way. ❤️

Every day counts. We want to give Merlin the chance to eat properly again and live without pain.

18/07/2026

Even though today’s post isn’t about donkeys, those who know me also know how deeply my heart belongs to turtles.

We wish this little one all the luck in the world and truly hope she makes a full recovery. ❤️🐢

And one more request from us to everyone out on the water: please slow down, especially when you’re close to the shore. A little more care and a little less speed can help prevent heartbreaking accidents like this and protect the amazing wildlife that shares these waters with us🙏🏼🌊

05/07/2026

📺 This morning I had the pleasure of being a guest on “Dobro jutro, Podgorice” together with Montenegro Experte Michael 🇲🇪 Michael Bader.

If someone had told me a few years ago that I would one day be sitting in a Montenegrin TV studio, talking about my life, my donkeys, and my dream project, I probably wouldn’t have believed them.

The entire interview was in Montenegrin – a language I’m still learning. I definitely didn’t understand every single question 😄, but I did my best, and that’s what matters. Every new challenge is another step forward, and I’m grateful for every opportunity to learn and grow.

I’m especially thankful that I had the chance to share the story behind Donkey Trails Montenegro and to show a little piece of the beautiful country that has become my home. 🫏💚🇲🇪

A big thank you to the wonderful team at Televizija Podgorica for the warm welcome and the enjoyable conversation with Ana Šofranac Joksimović , and to Michael Bader for always being such great company.

🎥 I’ll share the full interview in the comments. It’s in Montenegrin, but maybe you’ll still enjoy getting a little glimpse behind the scenes of this special experience.

Sometimes life takes you places you never imagined… and those are often the most beautiful journeys. ❤️

02/07/2026

09/06/2026

A big thank you for your visit and for sharing your experience at Donkey Trails Montenegro! 💕🙏🏼

It was a pleasure to welcome you and show you a different side of Montenegro – slow, peaceful, and best enjoyed with our donkeys. 🫏❤️

Your kind words and support mean a lot and help more people discover this special place and what we do here.

Thank you again for recommending us – I truly appreciate it! 🇲🇪🌿

05/06/2026

Last night, the feature about Montenegro was broadcast on Germany’s ARD Tagesthemen, and I’m absolutely delighted that Donkey Trails Montenegro was part of it.🥰

Together with Montenegro expert Michael Bader, I shared some thoughts on how Montenegro can become even more attractive to visitors from Western Europe and the role that sustainable tourism experiences may play in the future.

I believe that many people today are looking for more than just a holiday destination. They want authentic experiences, nature, and memories that stay with them long after their trip. Montenegro offers incredible opportunities for exactly that.

And of course, my donkeys also got their little moment on television. 🫏🫏

If you missed the feature, you can watch it here:

https://youtu.be/D4yF7NzqdKs

Im Rahmen der Berichterstattung zum Westbalkan-Gipfel in Tivat stan...