Healing Hearts Donkey Shelter And Refuge-North Central Washington Region

02/05/2025

BELLEVUE POLICE FIND STOLEN DONKEYS, JUAN & JULIO, ALIVE IN FALL CITY.

At approximately 1:07 p.m. today, a good Samaritan contacted Bellevue Police to confirm donkeys matching the description of Juan and Julio were found alive in Fall City.

Both Bellevue Police and the King County Sheriff’s Office are working to reunite the animals with their owners.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing. Any additional information about this case will be published via the Bellevue Beat Blog.

Bellevue Police would like to thank concerned community members and the media for their part in this search effort.

Undoubtedly, this collaborative work between law enforcement and the community led police to find Juan and Julio.

02/05/2025

DONKEYS DO NOT DO WELL LIVING ALONE...

SHARING A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION REGARDING A SINGLE DONKEY ALONE IN A PASTURE:

Q: Can my donkey do OK without another donkey around if I spend a lot of time with him ?

A: Donkeys are very social animals and enjoy human company, but humans can't hang with them 24/7. Because of this, it is not advised to keep donkeys as lone animals.

A lonely donkey might become more aggressive or withdrawn, depending on their individual personality. Being alone can lead to depression and anxiety, manifesting in behaviors like pacing, vocalizing excessively, and lack of interest in activities.

To ensure their well-being, donkeys should ideally be kept with at least one other donkey

Q: I have 5 little goats. Will they do?

A: There are always an exception to every rule and there are plenty of people that say their donkey is buddys with their horse or goat; but that isn't always the case. I strongly believe that their best companion will always be another donkey.

02/05/2025

SHARING A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION REGARDING A SINGLE DONKEY ALONE IN A PASTURE:

Q: Can my donkey do OK without another donkey around if I spend a lot of time with him ?

A: Donkeys are very social animals and enjoy human company, but humans can't hang with them 24/7. Because of this, it is not advised to keep donkeys as lone animals.

A lonely donkey might become more aggressive or withdrawn, depending on their individual personality. Being alone can lead to depression and anxiety, manifesting in behaviors like pacing, vocalizing excessively, and lack of interest in activities.

To ensure their well-being, donkeys should ideally be kept with at least one other donkey

Q: I have 5 little goats. Will they do?

A: There are always an exception to every rule and there are plenty of people that say their donkey is buddys with their horse or goat; but that isn't always the case. I strongly believe that their best companion will always be another donkey.

02/03/2025

My 11yo granddaughter, Maddie, did a pastel sketch of Odie and gave it to me for my birthday...I cried. I cried because I was so happy to receive such a beautiful, touching gift from her and I cried because I still miss him so.

02/01/2025

01/24/2025

This is a program effort to save the endangered Baudet du Poitou breed.

2002 in Australien hat ein Pferd einen Baudet du Poitou Esel zur Welt gebracht. Was alles geht wenn es engagierter Menschen gibt die sich für eine Sache einsetzen toll👍

01/23/2025

FOR THOSE WITH BABIES DUE IN FRIGID TEMPERATURES.

I couldn't share this because it's from a private group. It's great advice so I copied and pasted it with credits to the original authors...

FROM DORI YARBERRY: For those with babies due in these frigid temperatures....please DO NOT feed a chilled newborn!!!! If you cannot get a internal temperature, you should not feed or encourage nursing until that internal temperature is in a normal range. Chilled organs will not work and cannot process any kind of nourishment. Most of the time foals that are given formula, colostrum, etc. and are chilled will develop aspiration pneumonia. In newborns, that can be a death sentence. While it sounds wonderful to get some nice warm formula into their system when they are found chilled, it will not help at that point. Get that internal temp up to where it needs to be and then you can push colostrum. Momma produces colostrum up to 12 hours after birth. Obviously you want colostrum in their system asap....but get the system working first.

FROM WENDY SESAME: You can put these babies on a 40 degree re**al dextrose (corn sugar) and electrolyte drip using an e***a kit. Warming from the inside works fast and takes advantage of the huge absorptive surface of the colon.

01/17/2025

This is a great article (as taken from an EQUUS article) and the same advice should be applied to equine trainers, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and other equine professionals...

FARRIERY CREDENTIALS EXPLAINED⎯ Steve Kraus, BS, CJF, with Laurel Scott. January 13, 2025

Here’s how to decipher the acronyms that indicate how horse shoers are trained and certified.

Farriery is a profession that relies on know-how. But if you’re like most horse owners, you haven’t given much thought to when and where your horseshoer acquired his skills. That’s okay if your current farrier is reliable, understands your horse’s hoof-care needs and communicates well.

The meaning of credentials becomes more important, however if you ever need to find a new hoof-care professional. Then, an understanding of farrier certifications can help you to find the best person for your horse’s needs.

In the United States there is no legal framework governing farriery work. Nor is there a unified system for certifying farriers. In other words, anyone with the right tools can set up business as a farrier here, with or without training. That means you need to do your homework on the various farrier credentials out there and what they mean.

ACCREDITATION VERSUS LICENSING:
Word of mouth is still a time-tested way to find out how well a farrier knows his business. However, any farrier who puts forth the additional effort to improve his or her skills is likely to be better for it.

American farriers have several options when seeking to achieve nationally recognized credentials indicating a certain level of competence. Whether or not he or she chooses to pursue this status is usually a personal choice.

It’s important to note, however, that farrier licensing is a separate issue in this country. Don’t confuse licensing with certification or accreditation.

Although the United States has no unified system for training and certifying farriers, various state horse racing and wagering boards have instituted a licensing system for racetrack farriers. This includes a competency exam and a background check. But these licenses only pertain to work done on racehorses or at racetracks.

So here’s a look at several types of certifications and accreditations you’re likely to encounter when shopping for a sporthorse or pleasure-horse farrier.

CERTIFICATE OR CERTIFICATION?
Armed with knowledge about national farrier training programs, you’ll be better able to tell the difference between a farrier school diploma, a certificate (which merely recognizes the passing of a course) and full-fledged professional certification.

If a farrier claims a certification, ask for specifics. You can verify the claim by either calling the organization or visiting its website. Also beware of overseas farriers migrating to the United States and claiming bogus European certifications.

Also remember that some certificates simply signify attendance at short seminars or clinics—usually held over a weekend and often for limited to hoof trimming. Some horse owners take these clinics because they want to work on their own horses. However, it takes a lifetime to learn about equine feet and true farriery skills cannot be learned over a weekend.