Farmer adopts donkey rejected by mother as family pet Jane Nelson, 49, was waking up throughout the night to care for baby Hope The donkey's mother bit her and kicked her over immediately after birth Farmer: 'It's like having another child... She runs straight into your bottom A miniature donkey is being hand-reared by a farmer - and now follows her "mum" everywhere she goes. Baby Hope, who is no bigger than a dog, was rejected by her real mother Tuppance when she was born on a farm in Carlisle a month ago. Farmer Jane Nelson whisked Hope away from her new mother after Tuppance started biting her and kicking her over. But the frightened foal survived after Ms Nelson hand-fed her goat milk in a baby's bottle every two hours. The young donkey now thinks Jane is her mother. A mother's love: Rare 25-inch-tall donkey Hope survived rejection by her mother after farmer Jane Nelson, pictured, hand-fed her goat's milk from a baby's bottle every two hours. She thinks the farmer is her mother Can I help with anything? Baby donkey Hope follows her new 'mother' everywhere, including the kitchen Surrogate mother Jane Nelson, 49, said: 'She just puts her ears back and runs straight into your bottom' For a while it was touch-and-go for the rare Mediterranean donkey, but now Hope enjoys nothing more than charging at Jane's bottom. At 25 inches tall, the miniature donkey is the same size as a Labrador and has become best friends with a Shetland pony called Dixey. Ms Nelson, 49, already keeps four alpacas, eight miniature Shetland ponies, another donkey and two cuny pigs at Floshes Farm in Carlisle, Cumbria. She said: 'It's like having another child. She follows me around, she comes in the house and follows me around in the morning to skip about or be cheeky. 'She just puts her ears back and runs straight into your bottom - she's quite a character.' There are only around 400 Mediterranean donkeys in the UK, and a female costs about £2,500. When fully grown the donkeys are no bigger than a Shetland pony. Going for a walk: At 25 inches high, miniature donkey Hope is smaller than some dogs 'She's just happy when she's out messing about in the yard,' said her owner. 'If there's people about she follows them, she loves people.' Hope's mother Tuppance rejected another baby last year, and turned on Hope almost instantly after she was born on September 17. Ms Nelson said: 'Tuppance cleaned her up and licked her and then just stared biting her and knocking her over and we couldn't leave her with her that night at all because she was born at seven in the evening. I was up every two hours throughout the night feeding her. I tried for a week to put Hope onto Tuppance to feed but every time she just wanted to kill her. Despite the rejection, Hope has become a firm favourite on on the farm, said Ms Nelson. 'We put Hope with a one-year-old Shetland called Dixey,' she added. 'She's young herself but she's very gentle. 'She grooms Hope and looks after her - they're happy together. 'They're all looking after Hope - everybody loves her.' The miniature Mediterranean donkey has an appropriately-sized new friend - a Shetland pony The farmer said: 'I tried for a week to put Hope onto Tuppance to feed but every time she just wanted to kill her.' Despite being bitten and knocked over by her real mother Hope is now back to full health, said Jane. She added: 'She's just happy when she's out messing about in the yard and if there's people about she follows them.'