Insurance can't cover donkey for act of God

ACCORDING to the Gospels, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey crowds greeted him by waving palm leaves and laying them on the ground before him.

However, the texts are silent on whether beforehand he compared the market and had the correct insurance for the event.

The tricky subject of equine cover has reared its head in Skye where a church has had to alter its plans for a traditional re-enactment.

A pony is taking the place of the previously cast donkey which apparently could not be insured outside its usual territory.

The change was being taken in good part yesterday by Canon Robert Breaden of St Columba's Episcopal Church in Portree.

He said: "I can't use a donkey but I have a pony. It allows me to preach on the appropriateness of a donkey."

It is the first time Canon Breaden has held a Palm Sunday service in Skye, although he held similar events in Carnoustie and Broughty Ferry, using donkeys.

He would not say where the donkey he tried to acquire was based. The pony, however, has been loaned to the church by Alistair Danter, from Edinbane in Skye.

Mr Danter said: "We were told there was a problem with the donkey and can we use our pony. We were delighted to help."

A spokeswoman for the Borders Donkey Sanctuary said: "If you are taking any large animal into a place where it can mix with the public, such as walking down the road among a crowd of people, the insurance people will want to know whether its experienced and trained for the purpose.

"My guess is that the donkey they were going to use has not been trained to do the job, whereas they can get a pony that is covered probably by the owner already. If we take donkeys out anywhere we have to buy extra insurance."