Donkey partisan to meet with parks official

Mark Meyers of Peaceful Valley, headquartered in Tehachapi, Calif., and Mike Hill, regional director of TP&WD, also plan to tour the park.

Peaceful Valley is the largest donkey rescue in the United States, directly managing the care of over 1,000 animals at its facilities in Texas, California, Oklahoma, Washington and Oregon. A satellite donkey adoption center is located in Odessa, which covers all of West Texas, and a rehabilitation facility is in Miles, near San Angelo.

TP&WD officials Hill and Dan Sholly were investigated on animal cruelty charges after news got out that they had killed nearly six dozen wild donkeys on Big Bend Ranch State Park. The state agency said the animal slaughter was part of a department plan to rid the park of feral and so-called nuisance animals.

Hill and Sholly subsequently were cleared of wrongdoing, but animal advocates reacted strongly and quickly after the story received widespread distribution.

Peaceful Valley helped rally supporters and donors, including a letter-writing campaign, to come to the burros' rescue.

The group estimates around 400 burros are living on Big Bend Ranch State Park, and once a capture plan is devised, each captured burro will be transported to Miles for a complete medical screening.

Once they're given a clean bill of health, all the jacks (males) will be castrated; all the burros will be gentled before being placed in adoptive homes.

According to Jan Blumentritt of the group's Odessa adoption center, Peaceful Valley takes in donkeys that are losing their home, or are neglected and abused.

"Donkeys that only require some basic gentling and handling are placed at our Odessa facility where we work with them until they are ready for adoption," she said.

"We promote donkeys as companion animals and pets, and are looking for individuals and families who will make our donkeys a part of their family."