John Nuttall has been in the donkey rides business for more than 40 years and has been accused of fat-shaming children but he said, 'I have just done it to protect my animals'

Seaside donkey proprietor John Nuttall has sparked debate by insisting children undergo a weight check before being allowed to ride his donkeys in Skegness. The 61-year-old has faced criticism for allegedly fat-shaming youngsters, yet many are applauding his decision.

With over four decades of experience providing donkey rides in Skegness and Cleethorpes, Nuttall has introduced a weight restriction to safeguard his donkeys in the face of increasing concerns about childhood obesity. He’s set up weighing scales adjacent to his mobile paddock, complete with a sign detailing the requirements: under ten years old, shorter than 4ft 6ins, and lighter than six stone (38kg) for a £4 jaunt along the promenade.

      • Nerdulous@lemm.ee
        131·
        4 months ago

        Do you know how rare that condition is? It’s about 1 in 20,000 compared to 1 in 5 children being obese.

        • wrenEnglish
          42·
          4 months ago

          can’t believe I have to say this, but even if kids have no genetic or medical reason for being fat, bullying children relentlessly is still unkind and unhelpful

          • Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee
            15·
            4 months ago

            If your dog constantly ate other dog’s shit off the ground, would you smack its nose every time it did it, or would you just say that’s how he expresses his feelings and we should encourage shit-eating?

            There’s a reason the phrase about being cruel to be kind exists