Therapeutic trousers help abused donkey find relief

Sometimes a new pair of pants really does make things better.

Haim the donkey had been tied up with barbed wire and was regularly abused by children.

After being rescued from his abusive owners by an animal sanctuary, Haim's pain became cyclical. Flies kept biting at his raw wounds, causing him to bite and scratch his legs, making the sores worse and even more attractive to flies.

After a few failed attempts to adequately cover Haim's legs with bandages and socks, caretakers at the Ramat Gan Safari in Israel came up with a creative way to protect and help heal his wounds: pants.

Becca Rivkin and Shira Inbar-Danin spent four hours sewing a special pair of double-layered pants that could be held up by suspenders over Haim's shoulder, the Times of Israel reported.

The inner layer of the pants is a soft stretchy material. The outer layer is a rougher baggy material that flies can't bite through.

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The women also apply cream on his legs daily.

The donkey pants are such a success that Haim is set to receive a second pair — for his hind legs — shortly. Caregivers expect that his fur will grow back quickly and he will soon be free to drop trou for good.

Thanks to an extensive rehabilitation process, Haim is not only getting physically healthier, he's also overcoming his fear of children and has learned to trust his caretakers.