Saucy
Autumn 2013
AUTUMN NEWS
The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada
picnics there, and I will get to know all the
donkeys, and sponsor one or two.”
Dear Friends of the Animals:
the Donkey House has made a
significant difference to hoof
health and we have you, our
helpful, generous donors, to
thank for that. The flooring
and ventilation in the Donkey
House provide a very dry
environment, one that is ideal
for the animals.
Katharin is is shown here with Terra, one of our mules.
>> I hope you have all enjoyed a happy,
healthy summer and are looking forward
to the coming of the fall season.
During this beautiful period, when the
leaves take on spectacular colours here in
the country, I invite you to consider a
road trip to the Sanctuary Farm. It is a
restful place where you can pat and brush
a donkey, visit a mule, and have a picnic
by a pond full of goldfish. Our Open Days
(Wednesdays and Sundays 10 am to 4 pm)
continue through the end of October.
All of our animals are in good health, though
we did have a few with hoof problems,
such as abscesses, due to the extremely wet
spring and early summer. Even though
donkeys have been in North America for
many hundreds of years, their desert origins
mean that they do not react well to soggy
ground and high humidity. Inside, however,
The many days of rain brought
good things here as well.
Though there were times
when we wondered if there
would ever be a sunny dry window to cut
hay, finally we were able to do so and
with the result that now we have more than
enough to provide hay for the donkeys and
mules in the coming year.
highly dedicated, trained staff who work
hard every day to ensure the best of care
for the donkeys and that the buildings,
machinery and fences are safe and in
working order, and that the grounds are
well-maintained.
We are always so pleased to see everyone
from children to grandparents to everyone
in between fall under the spell of the
donkeys and become, like you, lifelong
friends of the DSC.
Of course our ability to provide a forever
home to these deserving creatures comes
only from the help of people like you,
our generous supporters. Every cent you
give makes a difference and we aim always
to make every one count. What a blessing,
indeed, to have so many wonderful people
in the DSC community.
Our expanded, wheelchair-accessible
boutique has been a big hit, too, with
more people able to come in and browse
through an array of donkey items. Who
does not need donkey earrings, I ask you?
We are indebted to our volunteers, whom
we consider to be the best in the world.
They do everything from hard-core
barnyard chores, to donkey grooming, to
assisting in the office, to helping run events
– and all because they care so much for
the donkeys. We are also fortunate to have
Katharin Harkins
Executive Director
[email protected]
This season, visitors have been coming to
the Sanctuary Open Days in droves and
many first-timers have become acquainted
with the magical world of donkeys.
We very much appreciate comments like
these:
“Just wanted to say thank you for a lovely
day last Sunday. You can count on me to
be a continued supporter and visitor of The
Donkey Sanctuary.”
“I was there yesterday and I fell in love
with the place; it’s more beautiful than I
imagined. I also found a new sanctuary
for myself. I will be having my summer
Shown on the cover is Saucy – read her story on page 10. Photo by Kathy Gerry. Many thanks to Sarah
Straughan, Kim Hayes, Kathy Gerry and other staff and volunteers who have contributed photos to this and
other newsletter issues.
Is Cocoa saying to Franco, “Excuse me, you’re in my spot”? Perhaps!
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Neglected family now safe in their forever home
Three new donkeys – and a baby – have come to the Sanctuary Farm to enjoy a
new life together. The 6-year-old mother donkey, her 3-year-old daughter, 2-yearold son, and her baby daughter born July
25th are our newest residents – beautiful
and precious ‘jewels’, all. Accordingly, we
have named them Diamond, Pearl, Jasper
and Ruby.
Ruby was born on July 25
They had been severely neglected and
poorly fed, with minimal human contact.
Thank you to the Hamilton-Burlington
SPCA who had been alerted to this
situation, acted very quickly, and called
us August 2nd. We were able to go pick
up our new residents the next day, get
them settled here in Halfway Haven, our
quarantine paddock, and begin the slow,
careful process of returning them to health
and well-being.
Their hooves were long, twisted and causing them to walk with a painful hobble.
They were quite nervous and at first didn’t seem particularly responsive to food.
The baby seemed to have
some respiratory problems.
After a day of allowing
them to settle in, get used
to their new surroundings
and the sights and sounds
of many other donkeys,
our caring, experienced
vet and farrier came to
assess their conditions and
get started on their care.
Baby Ruby (we’ll call her Roo for short) and mom Diamond.
The terribly distorted
hooves were taken care of first; the vet administered some sedation given the severity
of the issues, as it would have been too traumatizing otherwise. As part of their
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initial health check, blood was taken and other exams done to identify underlying
conditions we would need to treat. As well, Jasper was gelded, since we want to
ensure no further breeding will happen.
We will continue to monitor them closely and do whatever we can to keep them
healthy, so they can experience the quality of life they deserve. They are responding
very well so far. Pearl and Ruby are very curious about people and have welcomed
patting and ear scratches. Mother Diamond and Jasper are more reserved and we hope
they will become more trusting as time goes on.
While
the
donkeys
already show their gentle
and friendly spirits, they
are, in fact, feral and when
it’s time to put halters
on them, get their feet
done regularly, or do
their teeth, we expect a
lot of nervous, anxious
resistance. So now the
real work begins: slowly,
gently, calmly introducing
Jasper and Pearl on arrival at the DSC.
them to life on the farm, where regular human contact and care is part of life.
This was an emergency rescue situation and we were so glad we were able
to respond in a timely way. Once again, the trailer from Jensen Trailers made
this rescue possible. (This is the new equine trailer Jensen donated in 2013 and
which we will purchase at cost in January.) We are indebted to them on behalf of
the donkeys.
Of course everyone is over the moon
about our new arrivals, and the baby
has charmed her way into everyone’s
hearts with her sweet fuzzy face and
her bright eyes as she discovers grass
What’s in a name?
Precious stones and what they mean
Diamond: courage, strength, invincibility
Pearl: beauty, love and loyalty
Ruby: luck and happiness
Jasper: Security, protection, healing
and the pleasure of pats.
Stay tuned to our website and facebook page for further updates.
5
Back to school brays: Donkey 101
Donkeys may be the world’s most
misunderstood creatures. They have
become a punch line in bad jokes,
thought of as stupid and stubborn (not
true), too often treated very cruelly and
sometimes even worked to death.
Here at the DSC we know the truth about
donkeys – they are calm, gentle, curious,
intelligent, stoic and social animals who
bond closely with each other and with
humans. We could do much worse than
be compared to a donkey! They deserve
our thanks and care, instead of being
dismissed as the ‘forgotten equine’.
Our mission at the Sanctuary is to
provide a forever home for donkeys,
mules and hinnies who have been
abused, abandoned or who need a new
home. The second part of our Mission
is to educate people both about the
wonderful nature of donkeys and about
their proper care.
Amazing Animals
•
•
To begin, it is important to recognize
the uniqueness of donkeys. They are not
horses - in personality, dietary needs, or
hoof care.
•
You will find here a starter kit of useful
donkey facts. The best way to learn, of
course, is to come visit a donkey yourself.
Come experience, as people do time and
time again, the peaceful, positive donkey
nature. You will be the better for it and the
donkeys will enjoy it too.
The name ‘donkey’ is the
common name for the members
of the species Equus Asinus, more
correctly called the ‘ass.’
The word ‘donkey’ likely comes
from the old English word ‘dunkey’
referring to a small animal that was
grayish-brown in colour.
Donkeys are part of the equine
family, which also includes horses
and zebras.
•
Female donkeys are called jennies
(or jennets). Males are called jacks.
•
•
Baby donkeys are called foals.
Domesticated donkeys can live
for 30-50 years with proper care
Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.
~ Anatole France
6
•
(about 10 to 25 years in the wild).
This could explain the origin of
the phrase “Donkeys’Years”.
• A donkey is stronger than a horse of
the same size, with a conformation
that is better suited for carrying
and pulling heavy loads.
• Donkeys have incredible memories
- they can remember places and
companions for up to 25 years.
• Donkeys are classed according
to size:
°° Miniature: up to 36 inches at the
shoulder
°° Standard: 36 to 54 inches at
the shoulder
°° Mammoth: over 54 inches at
the shoulder (jennies) or
over 56 inches (jacks)
•
•
Donkeys should eat a combination
of hay and straw, with very limited
access to grass which is too sweet
for their systems.
Wild donkey herds are small and
they use their loud bray to keep in
contact with each other over long
distances, as much as 50 miles.
Running from a predator does not
work with such small herds. If
they flee, it is easy for a predator to
follow while, at the same time, the
donkeys would be leaving behind
a known source of food and water.
As a result, donkeys developed a
strong fight response – they will
stand their ground against a threat.
In turn, this response has led to
We have donkeys of all sizes at the
Sanctuary Farm.
And let’s not forget mules and hinnies:
A mule is a hybrid cross between a female
horse and a male donkey. A hinny is a
hybrid cross between a male horse and a
female donkey. And just for fun (truth), a
zonkey is a hybrid cross between a zebra
and a donkey!
Desert Origins
•
•
Donkeys’ ancestors evolved in
a desert climate (North Africa),
where they adapted well to these
harsh environments.
They have very hardy immune
and digestive systems. This gives
donkeys the ability to process and
gain nutrition from poor quality
vegetation unsuitable for other
animals.
•
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the misconception that they are
stubborn. Donkeys simply will not
do what they believe might not be
safe or in their best interests.
Donkeys’ bodies utilize 95% of
what they eat, which means that
their manure is not a very good
fertilizer for land.
sanctuary.
Summer days in
Your support allows the animals at the DSC to live tranquil, peaceful lives.
Saucy: A long, slow rebuilding of trust
Frequently, we talk in this
newsletter
about
the
extraordinary relationship
that can exist between donkeys
and people and the calming,
healing effect that these
wonderful animals can exude.
Many come to the Sanctuary
from terrible situations
where they were beaten with
iron rods or starved or left
abandoned to freeze in a field.
safe, and to know that she will not be hurt. While many hours have been invested in
this process, after more than 20 years, results continue to be measured only in very
small steps.
Today, Saucy is the calmest that she has ever been. The careful and gentle daily
handling, going in and out of the barn, the peacefulness of the barnyard environment,
the security of the stall she goes into at night: these are all important factors which
have combined to make Saucy feel somewhat more secure. But in matters of trust,
she still has a long way to go.
With all mules and hinnies it has
been our experience, if they are
mishandled or handled roughly
early in their lives, that it is never
forgotten.”
Saucy in her sleek summer coat.
What strikes us as miraculous is that very often the donkeys who have been so illused by people do learn to trust again. Over time, these sensitive equines learn to
relax enough to drink up the affection and respect that they receive at the Sanctuary
from staff, volunteers and the public.
Mules and hinnies, on the other hand, can sometimes be a different story. Saucy’s
experiences are a case in point.
Saucy is one of our two hinnies (her sire was a pony and her mother was a jenny).
I asked our founder, Sandra Pady, to tell me about Saucy, our shy skittish girl who
has been here for many years.
Saucy is now one of the barnyard
equines. She is calmer around
our older donkeys than she is with
mule companions who can be
Saucy (l) and Molly, with Reno photo-bombing behind.
rambunctious. We don’t know what
happened to Saucy in her distant past but it was obviously too terrible for her to forget.
Nevertheless, she has a special place in all our hearts here and we continue to work towards
a time when she will be comforted instead of frightened by a human’s touch.
Donkey magic.
People charmed by donkeys. And vice versa.
“I remember clearly the day of Saucy’s arrival. It was in November, rainy, in 1994.
She had been abandoned at a meat auction and was picked up by some caring people
who ran a rescue for farm animals. Saucy was almost feral, turning around when
approached to get ready to kick and terrorizing any other animals or people who
would try to approach. Then, to complicate matters further, the situation developed
that the woman who had rescued Saucy was forced to give up her farm and find
homes for her animals. Fortunately, during the same period, she was made aware of
the work of the DSC. We agreed with the owner’s request to take in Saucy and to
assume the responsibility of giving her lifelong home.
It took several people to load Saucy on the trailer that day and when she arrived at
the Sanctuary she was shaking, clearly terrified of all human contact. That first day,
and ever since, DSC staff and volunteers have tried to help Saucy to relax, to feel
10
Gemini & friend on Donkey Day.
Oh, yes, you are beautiful Uma.
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DaVinci & Chayce.
Donkeys (and mules) and people: an ongoing love story.
Editor’s Note: There’s just something about donkeys. So many who visit, work or volunteer at
The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada make a deep connection with the animals here. Peace, calm and
wonder are words often used to describe how they feel. Bonds develop. We relate to their stories, their
personalities, their wonderful spirits. Here’s one story we’re delighted to share.
chores to make the farm ready for Open Days. He remembers it well: “I had missed
the regular orientation. So I came out for volunteer day and we moved hay bales
from the wagon to the barn. It was the hardest I’d worked in years! I had to really
move it to keep up with the two young women who were helping.”
To quote from an old movie, “It’s the hard
that makes it good.” And Doug liked all of
it. Now as a regular barnyard volunteer, he
finds every hour here satisfying. “It is good
to do this meaningful day-to-day work for
the animals, something that makes a real
difference, where you can see the results
of your efforts right away.”
What’s involved? “Like most volunteers,
I spend a lot of time cleaning (the nice
word for picking up poop), water trough
scrubbing, and other chores the barn staff
need doing.” Doug spends most of his time
with the big mules and the geldings, and he
says “I’m known as a good bum scratcher.
I do a lot of patting and scratching, too,
since they get itchy in the heat.”
Doug and Reno, with Hummer and Jimmy in the background looking on.
Volunteer Doug Bruce: City boy loves life on the farm >> DSC volunteer Doug Bruce
grew up in Toronto, a city boy through and through. But summers were spent at
a cottage near a relative’s farm in Quebec and he worked there through the years
– cleaning up after the pigs, cattle and chickens, haying, and doing many of the
necessary chores where you get your hands and clothes dirty.
Good preparation for life on the Sanctuary Farm! After retiring from his career as a
Research Engineer at McMaster University in Hamilton, he recalled having read a
Globe & Mail article about the DSC.
He was already a confirmed animal lover, having been involved in a cat rescue
operation. Something struck a chord – the animals (he had no idea there was a
donkey rescue in Canada), and importantly, the peace and tranquility of the farm
setting and the need for volunteers to roll up their sleeves, just as he had as a boy.
So two years ago, he signed up. First he attended a Volunteer Day during which our
own volunteers, and members of the public, do grounds cleanup, repairs, and other
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Doug appreciates Reno’s assistance.
Doug is one of the volunteers – and we have many – who has extended a contribution
beyond the barnyard, doing other work on behalf of the animals. He’s the chair of the
Safety Committee, helping identify and assess safety concerns; he’s a Board member
representing the volunteer voice; he helps prepare for and then participates in Donkey
Day, our largest fundraiser of the year, and more when called upon.
Asked whether he has a particularly deep connection to one animal, he says he
enjoys all their different personalities. “I do find the mules very interesting with their
different moods. Donkeys are a bit quieter. You never quite know what mood the
mules will be in on a given day.”
Doug says he’d encourage anyone to sign up as a volunteer who is seeking a haven
of calmness and tranquility, and who isn’t afraid to work hard – all in the company of
attentive, gentle equines.
“It’s been wonderful for me to come out here, get to know these animals and their
stories, and meet other like-minded people who care, both staff and volunteers.”
I’ll say this in mule. Thank you Doug for all that you do. Bray bray bray.
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What’s Coming Up? Lots!
New code of practice for the care and handling of equines
PACE for the Donkeys: Sunday September 29 You might be just under the
wire to register for our first-ever 5k trail run (walkers welcome!) at the end of
the month. Please see paceforthedonkeys5k.com for details. Proceeds will be
of enormous help to the
donkeys. The course winds
PACE for the DONKEYS
in and around the trails and
5K Trail Run
fields of the Sanctuary Farm
and we invite you to stay after your exercise and visit with the donkeys and mules
who will be very curious about why people are rushing around!
the donkey
sanctuary
of canada
World Animal Day at the DSC : Sunday, October 6 According
to their website (worldanimalday.co.uk), World Animal Day
(October 4 around the world) is a day for remembering
and paying tribute to all animals and the people who love and respect them.
It’s celebrated in different ways in every
country, with no regard to nationality,
religion, faith or political ideology.
We want to mark this day on one of our
Open Days so we are honouring all animals
on Sunday, October 6 at 1:30. We welcome
all of you who would like to come pay your
Memorial Hill at the DSC
respects, say a few words, or just silently
remember the animals you have known and the place they still occupy in your
hearts. The special ceremony will be held outside near Memorial Hill.
We’re open 4 days in December The DSC
will be open to the public the first 4 Sundays
in December: December 1, 8, 15 and 22, from
10 am to 4 pm.
Yes it can be chilly but there will be hot
chocolate and a few indoor spaces to warm
up! Please come see donkeys in their long and shaggy winter coats, and save your
last-minute gift shopping for the Long Ears Boutique. Special donkey items to
delight children and grownups alike.
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This Code of Practice is a powerful tool
for meeting rising consumer, marketplace
and societal expectations relative to
equine care.
Here at the DSC, we are too often
faced with the intake and treatment
of donkeys who have suffered at the
hands of ignorant caregivers, individuals
who are not aware that taking care of
equines – donkeys, mules or horses – is
a very serious practice. Equine training
and care are multi-dimensional and far,
far more complicated than simply putting
the equine out into a field to graze and
to drink from a sporadically-filled water
container.
It is a sensitive document, one that
recognizes the unique requirements of
donkey, mule and horse care. The Code
attends to housing, medical treatment,
training, feeding, transportation,
husbandry practices and reproductive
management. Of particular note are the
Code’s appendices which are concerned
with every day issues that are faced by
private, small-scale owners.
For these reasons, the release in June
of a new Code of Practice for the Care
and Handling of Equines is of singular
importance. This Code, which has been
sponsored by the National Farm Animal
Care Council, was developed by an 18
person committee comprised of equine
owners, caregivers, animal welfare and
enforcement representatives, researchers,
veterinarians and government
representatives.
The Equine Code of Practice is available
for download at nfacc.ca/codes-ofpractice/equine.
We recommend strongly that it be read
and understood by both experienced and
potential equine caregivers.
The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada is a not-for-profit licensed charity.
Our Mission is to provide a lifelong home to donkeys, mules and hinnies that are unwanted,
neglected or abused and we promote the responsible stewardship of all animals through humane
education. We Envision a world in which the dignity and worth of all creatures is recognized
and respected.
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Bequests to
ensure
the future
Considering
The Donkey
Sanctuary of
Canada in
your Will
the donkey
sanctuary
of canada
If you are in the process of making your Will, we ask you to consider a bequest to
The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada. Planning for the future is so important now.
“I have left a bequest in my Will to the DSC because most of us love animals but few have
the knowledge, energy and determination to actually make a difference on a practical level.
The DSC has demonstrated a ‘hands on’ approach that has not only saved these beautiful
creatures, but won our hearts. I would like to see this continue for many years into the future.”
Lawrence Segel, MD, Aurora, ON
If you have questions regarding a bequest, or if you would like to add a codicil to
an existing Will, please telephone our office for a confidential discussion with our
Treasurer, or, email the Chair of the DSC Board: [email protected].
How to get to the DSC:
From Hwy. 401, take Exit 295 (Hwy. 6 N).
Go north to the second road, Puslinch
Conc. 4, and proceed to #6981.
Open May through October,
every Sunday & Wednesday,
from 10 am to 4 pm.
Aberfoyle
t: 519.836.1697 f: 519.821.0698
[email protected]
thedonkeysanctuary.ca
Registered Charity #: 138721253 RR0001