Say Cheese! Donkey Rescued from Floodwaters Smiles Wide for the Camera

A donkey in Ireland was caught in torrential flooding on Sunday but the hard work of brave animal rescuers paid off.

A donkey and its rescuer were all smiles this weekend after the animal was pulled from the brink of death in torrential floodwaters.

The drama unfolded on Sunday as rising waters in Kerry, Ireland trapped a donkey in a field after a river overflowed its banks as Storm Desmond lashed the region.

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"His owner had found him that morning out in the field, and because the river had burst its banks the donkey was stranded," the rescue said.

The donkey's owner called volunteers from Animal Heaven Animal Rescue, who immediately scrambled to find a boat to help them get to the animal.

The rescuers managed to get to the donkey and get him ashore. That's when rescuers took an unforgettable photo of the beast in which he sports an unmistakable grin.

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He also now has a name: Mike.

The rescue's founder, Suzanne Gibbons, was overjoyed in a Facebook post on Sunday, writing:

"We loved every moment saving Mike and I think I speak for all of us, he was so worth the danger just to see his little face on dry land. Thanks for all your lovely comments and support. 

"He is now dried with towels, eating a hot mash, all cozy and warm and our vet has seen him and started him on antibiotics to prevent pneumonia... All he needs is loads of tlc."

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