I started out donating a small monthly amount to Hopland’s Oscar’s Place (www.oscarsplace.org), a rescue for donkeys that were being sold at auction (mostly for their hides for foreign cosmetics). That’s tragic and no matter how many donkeys they save, there’s always more that need saving.
So, I’ve increased my donation each year. When I look at my bank balance it seems like a lot to donate, but it’s one place that I trust and love.
As it states on their website, “Our promise to each donkey who walks through our gates is that we will do everything in our power to keep them safe, healthy, happy and with their bonded companion for the rest of their life.”
Each time I visit Oscar’s place I fall in love.
My first love was Blanche, a 40-year-old white-colored donkey. She stood next to me, leaning on me. We had a moment. She was calm and gentle and old, really old.
Then came Norman who stayed by my side during my visit and rested his big beautiful brown head against mine. Be still my heart. Even writing about him makes me cry. He left the planet to be with his best friend Harry.
My donations now go to the care of Patches. I haven’t had a one-on-one with him, but his story of abuse and horror spoke to me and since Blanche and Norman are both gone, Patches deserves whatever donations people/I can give.
Why do I fall in love with donkeys?
I had two horses when I was a kid. Two American Saddlebred horses. For some reason I didn’t fall madly in love with them. Perhaps because my parents picked them. Perhaps they just weren’t “mine.”
I don’t really know why.
But I do know why I love donkeys. They love me. Ron King, the co-founder of Oscar’s Place, says that donkeys are like big dogs. I agree. They follow you around, they cuddle and they “burro” into your heart with their sweetness.
Oscar’s Place now has a second location in Potter Valley for donkeys needing less human interaction. I haven’t been there yet. and I hope to get there, but I really want to go to the Hopland location because Patches is there and Goldie is there. I met Goldie when she was a darling little baby.
One time I took Mabel with me. She was so relaxed around the donkeys. “I’ve never seen so many donkeys in one place that were happy,” she said. “I loved the babies. Gosh, they were so cute.”
My neighbor and her husband went with me and when I asked her why she donated, she said, “I was impressed with what Ron is doing at Oscar’s Place. When we visited, I saw how happy the donkeys are and how healthy they looked, and I wanted to support that. I chose Patches to sponsor because his story really broke my heart. That he was blind from malnutrition and his tongue was half-severed is just too awful to think about. But now he’s spending his retirement in donkey paradise and it makes me glad to think I’m helping to make that possible in a small way.”
She said she has watched, “Donkey King,” the 17 episode educational docuseries, featured on ABC. “It’s uplifting and heartwarming, and we really need that right now. I like to see what my donation is helping achieve and I enjoy learning about donkeys. I’ve never known much about them, and they’re very interesting. Also my mom’s former horse vet was in the birthing episode, so that was pretty neat.”
I’ve watched each of the first episodes on YouTube, several times. They make me happy. It’s almost like being there.
Visiting is by appointment so, what’s a girl to do?…make an appointment to go see “my” donkeys.
Lucy Llewellyn Byard welcomes comments [email protected]
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