Village locals outraged over donkeys eating their trash

By Filipa Gaspar and Lauren Beavis

Villagers are calling for action after their wheelie bins were ransacked for waste - by local wild donkeys.

Resident Caroline Emery filmed a group of free-roaming animals eating trash from bins in the New Forest.

New Forest District Council recently decided to use wheelie bins and caddies to replace single-use black and clear plastic bags for residents' domestic and food waste, plus recyclables.

They stated this new system was implemented to improve recycling; however, free-roaming ponies and donkeys have been seen breaking into them and scattering waste on the roads and pavements.

Back in June, the council said it was aware of cases of donkeys in the national park "interacting with waste containers."

Caroline explained how this problem started since the beginning of the role out of the new bins.

She said: "Previously, our bins were collected from the inside of our property gates, but now, even with NFDC being aware of this major issue - they have dug their heels in and continued to stipulate that our bins have to placed on the pavement outside our property gates.

"There is a huge concern from residents and commoners alike, that if the NFDC don’t act swiftly to rectify these changes - livestock will die, and the risk to those trying to intervene to prevent the livestock eating the refuse, risk serious injury.

"Common sense needs to prevail swiftly, as this was always on the cards to happen.

"Livestock, particularly the donkeys, are extremely intelligent, determined and learn fast.

"The fact that this has been allowed to happen in the first place is simply astonishing and now we wait for the first casualty.

"It’s not a case of if it will happen - but when."

Other residents have taken to social media to report the issue, with one stating the solution would be for bins to be "inside the property boundary for those that live within the cattle grid area".

Another added they were only able to pick up rubbish after the donkeys had left the area.

Someone said: "My husband and a neighbor did clear up [the rubbish] after the donkeys had gone as they became quite aggressive when we tried to move them away!

"My husband nearly got kicked!"

The move to wheelie bins was given the go-ahead in 2022, with the council insisting they were needed to increase recycling rates, while opponents argued they were unsightly and costly.

In a statement, the council said: "On a daily basis, we are monitoring the situation, particularly in key areas where we know there may be free-roaming livestock.

"We recognize that some areas face unique challenges.

"We remain committed to working with our community to ensure the service works well for everyone, and to deliver a more efficient and environmentally friendly way of managing waste and recycling for the long term."