BB FANS

Wednesday May 11, 01:06 PM

British donkeys win lunch break


LONDON (AFP) - For more than a century, teams of donkeys have carried tourists down the beach at Blackpool, one of Britain's top tourist destinations. But only now are they to get a compulsory lunch break.

As part of a wide-ranging "employment rights" charter for donkeys, announced Wednesday, Blackpool council inspectors are to carry out spot-checks on the beach to ensure the animals get a statutory hour off to munch their hay.

The 200 animals working at the coastal resort in northwest England ferry tourists along the beach throughout the summer.

Under the new rules, donkeys must only work from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm and get Fridays off, as well as the lunch break.

They will also get an annual donkey health check-up, in which officials and veterinarians checks each animal's hooves, ears, teeth and coats are in good condition.

A spokeswoman said the council would carry out inspections to ensure the animals, whose distant ancestors were brought to the region to work down mines, were being well treated.

"Some people might think it is quite a hard day on the beach with no break on a busy day," she said.

"It is an important part of our tourism business. We want the donkeys to be happy and healthy."

Some of the rules had already existed, and the council was largely codifying the regulations to make sure they were well known, the spokeswoman added.

"The donkey's Friday off is a by-law that has been in place for, well, donkey's years," she said.

Sun Online

DONKEYS were put through their paces today to ensure they are fit to carry children along Blackpool beach.

Two hundred donkeys were involved in the annual council “MoT test” which involves each animal being tested medically so its owner can get a licence to operate during the Lancashire resort’s summer season.

Local vet Michael Fielding inspected each animal in a car park, accompanied by two council officials with clipboards.

Mr Fielding examined each beast’s protruding teeth, looked inside their huge floppy ears and gazed into their big brown eyes, to ensure all was well.

After checking each donkey’s hooves for roadworthiness, the animals were then made to trot up and down the car park, at eight mph, to check their four legs were not lame and their joints free of arthritis.

With a nod, he passed each animal as fit to do its job. Council officials then ticked off the paperwork and the donkey was given its MoT licence.

The donkeys are integral to the resort's popularity and this summer will ferry tens of thousands of children for two rides on the sand.

Earlier this week it was revealed councillors had appointed inspectors to ensure each animal was getting its requisite hour-long lunch break, under council bylaws.

Council rules also state the beasts of burden must only work from 10am to 7pm, with the hour lunch break, and must get each Friday off.

The council inspectors will do spot-checks to ensure the donkeys employment rights are being upheld and pull over any animal looking under the weather.

The law is an ass....... did we not already know that

Are they council-employed donkeys? That entitles them to three-hour lunch-breaks, flexitime, two hours a day to natter about last night's Corrie, 18 weeks of sick leave and all the coffee they can drink.

Have you ever got 'Downwind' of a Blackpool donkey .................they are disgusting