Twenty six donkeys arrived at the Foster Hill Farm and Garden of Stafford Springs on Thursday night and they will be available for adoption.
The donkeys were brought from San Angelo, Texas as part of the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue,
a non-profit organization that rescues donkeys that are abused, neglected or abandoned.
They rescue 750 to 1,000 donkeys every year with the ultimate goal of placing them all in homes.
“They are great pets. They are like big dogs. So we are looking for homes that appreciate the fact that they are a rescue animal, They come from a sordid past and we just want good, kind, loving people to take our donkeys home,” Mark Meyers, the executive director of Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, said.
Meyers said donkeys have a very protective nature.
In Texas, you will see donkeys out with sheep, goats and cows to keep predators at bay. They also bond with horses and people and make great companions.
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A companion is exactly what Sue Spiewakowski, of Ashford, was looking for when she went to the farm with her daughter Alexia.
“We had two horses, one of them just passed away about a month ago. We were looking for a companion,” Spiewakowski said. “It seemed like a perfect fit that a donkey is a very good companion for a horse, so we are excited.”
Her daughter Alexia named their new donkey Lucy.
“I am really excited,” Alexia said.
Before placing the donkeys up for adoption (http://www.donkeyrescue.org/adoption_policy) PVDR makes sure they are friendly and will pick up their feet for trimming.
The Foster Hill Farm and Garden on Stafford Street in Stafford Springs will be the organization’s new satellite location in the northeast. The next closest location is in Virginia.
“We bring the donkeys up and they adopt them out under our policies. Then they can keep an eye on the homes and if there is a problem, they can come back here and get re-adopted,” Meyers said.
