Heat Waves, Happy Endings, and Second Chances

Well, friends... June sure knew how to spoil a donkey! We had beautiful mornings, cool breezes, sunshine, and plenty of time to enjoy being outside. I could have happily kept that weather forever. But then Mother Nature remembered it was summer and turned the heat all the way up! Let's just say this fluffy donkey has been spending a lot more time looking for shade and reminding the humans that extra treats make hot days much more bearable.

Speaking of our humans... they've had quite the month answering phones. They received 32 phone calls from people wanting to give up roosters. Thirty-two! Most of these birds started out as cute little chicks from the farm stores or were hatched at home. The problem is, nobody knows which ones are roosters until they grow up.

Friends, we can't say this enough: if you only want laying hens, please don't buy baby chicks or hatch eggs yourself. Buy grown hens instead. It's the only way to know you're bringing home hens and not roosters.

Right now, we have 36 roosters here waiting for homes, and finding families willing to adopt roosters is incredibly difficult. Sadly, some people have even gotten upset with us, saying we should stop taking in hens so we can have an all-rooster flock instead. Believe me, we'd love to have enough room for every animal that needs help, but that's simply not possible. Every decision we make is based on giving as many animals as we can the best chance at a safe future.

Now for an update on one of our former residents. Gunsmoke is back, and through absolutely no fault of his own. Sometimes life just doesn't go as planned. Right now, his feet are in very rough shape, so our veterinarian and farrier are working together to get him comfortable again. Once his feet are healthy and he's feeling his best, he'll be searching for a true forever home that will love him for the rest of his life. I have my hooves crossed that the next chapter is his last move.

We also have some wonderful news! Snowdrop found his forever home! We were so happy to watch him head off to start his new adventure. Of course, every time one friend leaves, many others are still patiently waiting.

One of those friends is Moto Moto. Now, if you've ever met him, you know "stubborn" is probably the nicest way to describe him! But goodness, is he looking fantastic these days. He's feeling great, looking healthier than ever, and just waiting for the right family who appreciates his big opinions and strong personality.

Before I let you go, I want to be honest with you all. The humans will be sharing an update in July about Bruno and Mayfly. There is some good news for Bruno, and while Mayfly’s situation is more challenging, they’ll explain everything and keep everyone informed.

As always, summer keeps everyone busy, and that means expenses never slow down. We're already preparing for our next auction rescue, and hay season is here. Every bale helps feed the horses, donkeys, cows, goats, sheep, llamas, and everyone else who calls the rescue home. If you've been thinking about helping, now is the perfect time. Whether it's sponsoring a bale of hay, making a donation, or simply sharing our posts, every little bit makes a difference.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to find the shadiest spot I can and convince someone that donkeys absolutely deserve frozen treats.

Until next month,

Samson 🫏