Two donkeys adopted by Wet Leg have died following illnesses.
Miniature donkey Angelica, who has the same name as the fifth single released from their self-titled 2022 debut album, died on Saturday (March 25). And older donkey called Jill died on the same day.
Last year, Wet Leg became the first celebrity ambassadors to the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary.
The charity told BBC News that both animals had been “closely monitored for a while and both had various health issues that were causing concern”.
Wet Leg, who are from the Isle of Wight, first adopted a donkey named Archie Baby from the sanctuary. Archie Baby’s urinary problems were causing him to have a wet leg.
Lead guitarist and backing vocalist Hester Chambers visited the sanctuary last year with bandmember Joshua Mobaraki (guitar, synths, backing vocalist), which is when they adopted Angelica. Jill was adopted later as a Mother’s Day gift.
The Grammy and BRIT-award winning band also received a cuddly donkey to take with them on tour, which they named Archie Baby 2. It was spotted on stage with them at last year’s Glastonbury Festival.
Chief executive of the sanctuary Susan McCall described Jill, who was in her late 30s, as being “very ill” while Angelica, 22, had “many different health conditions” and had been on palliative care.
“On that particular evening I was there with three of the yard staff and some of the estate staff, and the care they gave to the donkeys was absolutely wonderful,” McCall told BBC News.
“I was so impressed by their care to each other as well as the donkeys. It made me very proud of the team that I’ve got. They gave them a last supper, with a special food bowl for each of the donkeys, there were lots of cuddles and care to the donkeys… so it was all done in a very considered and caring way.”
The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary opened in 1987 and currently has 115 donkeys.
Meanwhile, Archie Baby is said to be “doing great” and is “having fun” at the sanctuary with the rest of the herd.
In other Wet Leg news, the band – led by Chambers and Rhian Teasdale (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), alongside Ellis Durand (bass, backing vocals) and Henry Holmes (drums, percussion) – have joined the line-up for BBC Radio One’s Big Weekend 2023.
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