Donkey on Mamalahoa Highway Safely Returned to Herd!

On December 22, the donkey magic menehune made more magic by getting this dear donkey back where he belonged. Donkeys are lonely without their friends, this is true. So you made him happy. Thanks to all those who periodically reminded me to follow up and to the menehune who siezed an opportunity when it presented itself. This community can come together fast when it needs to.

Home for the Holidays

On the Beach, Long Beach, CA 1909

As the 200 or so remaining donkeys regroup in the Waikoloa region, so are the volunteers. We are beginning to look for adoptive homes on other Hawaiian Islands and to think more intensely about how we will create a controlled enviornment where we can manage the size of the herd through humane means. This is meant to keep donkeys, if possible, in our area, but not so they can continue to breed to their former herd size.

Remember, the donkeys were under pressure, drivers were under pressure, and residents felt pressured, too.   We don't want to get to that point again, ever, or all the work was for naught.

Sanctuary Goofiness England (They LOVE donkeys in England)

Donkeys and people are now, we hope, "home for the holidays".

Getting aid in Kenya drought.

Nightingales: For Some The Sun Came up further East that it had in a Century.

Do read the new, additional article and see HSUS video here: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/news/2011/09/donkey_flight_091611.html

If that's too much reading, just watch the under-two-minute video here:


I am indebted to  Waikoloa's Michale O'Brien and Randy Horne of Waimea for all the excellent photos. If it's not excellent, it's  mine.

Hence photos are COPYRIGHTED. If you love one of these I will trace back through the 20 or so steps it took me to move them to the blog and advise him how to contact you.  They would love you to have a photo for your publication, I'm sure. Email WaikoloaNightingale@gmail.com with your intended use, your contact information and I will let them know. 

Count the donkey ears waiting to board in Waiki'i Ranch. There are more!

Mark Meyers, PVDR. uses his Texas hat to encourage them along the chute.

Inga Gibson, HSUS, takes a blissful break from the same work. She had a little flag on the end of a bendable pole she used instead of a hat.

Mark Meyers, Amy Meyers, of Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, with Dr. Brady Bergin of Waimea.

Your Waikoloa Pizza Delivery Girl made sure to put out token gifts for volunteers so they would know the people of Waikoloa supported and loved them.

Donkey gently encouraged (by Inga) to go ahead and get on the trailer. 119 of them did. That is what the plane had room for. There were a couple other animals flying also, a goat and a horse. They were not flying at HSUS expense. There was the most beautiful goat I've ever seen (a Ram, a stud probably) and a lovely horse. Very well trained animals, both.

Aloha, Waiki'i.

Holo holo!

Some of the 10 trailers lined up at airport.

 

Late day sun gives golden glow to donkeys on a red trailer.

Waikoloa Nightingale transfers from trailer to container for shipping, first checking it out with careful testing. Donkeys are cautious and not prone to rash decisions. (Once the first donkey travels through a gate and doesn't disappear, others usually follow along. The surface is a soft one and there is bedding material so they can lie down if they like. 

Volunteers push container as it is loaded with donkeys then help pull it up onto the trailer platform for ride to plane

These are their homes for the trip. These are loaded two a trailer to be pulled in a connected train out to the plane. Picture precious cargo or luggage of he Prince of Wales being loaded onto a jet. Just like your baggage, but much nicer!! And then each container is secured to the plane cargo hold itself, for a smooth flight.

Clinic Photos August 27 - 28

A few photos of clinic volunteers during lunch break on Day One and pau hana on Day Two.

Keith Dane, pau hana.

A Donkey Near Mamalahoa Highway

Example Waikoloa Nightingale
Ear Damage From Rough Life

Amidst all this great news, I need to remind everyone there can be donkeys on the road any time, anywhere. Right now there seems to be a donkey loose near the 9MM of Mamalahoa Highway. Just one. As you know, catching a donkey is not easy at all, but we are all trying our best. Meanwhile, drive carefully. Especially you dawn commuters to North Hawaii Community Hospital and the telescopes.

As always, if you see a donkey near the road, outside of fencing, call Police Dispatch at 935--3311. If it is on the road, you may need to use 911, if you deem it an emergency situation. If you can, stay near the spot where you can see the donkey so you can report it's location if the police are sending someone right away.


Photo by Michael O'Brien.


Update: the donkey was safely returned to his herd! Thank you, Donkey Magic Menehune who can never have the credit they deserve. Around Christmas time.

Bakersfield TV on the Donkeys' Safe Arrival in Tehatchpi

All the news coverage expanding. Not only the Los Angeles Times, but globally. I particularly like these back-to-back updates from TV KBAK, Bakersfield. It's really fun to watch, especially the second report where you can see OUR beloved Nightingales.
http://tinyurl.com/Donkeys-Arrive-in-Tehachapi
Earlier, I forgot to link this nice little article on the HSUS website. 
http://www.humanesociety.org/news/news/2011/09/donkey_flight_091611.html

Waikoloa Nightingale Adoptions Take to the Skies

Dr. Brady Bergin & Inga Gibson
Kona Airport, Plane in Background
Michael O'Brien photo

Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue now has 119 of our Waikoloa Nightingale;  they saw their first California sunrise Saturday morning! They are probably over their jet lag already, but I don't know if Dr. Brady Bergin is over his, after organizing and working the all-day effort to load the donkeys and caravan with them to the, and his lovely night spent at LAX awaiting his early morning flight back to the Island. 

The Big Island Video news was taped at the airport. Outstanding Job!

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2011/09/17/video-over-100-waikoloa-donkeys-board-plane-for-california/

Hawaii News Now's report is their 5 PM version, so it has excellent footage and interviews of the clinic a few weeks ago, and an update. 

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/15484645/yes-its-true-donkeys-fly

KITV report that shows the flight taking off late yesterday afternoon.

http://www.kitv.com/video/29215326/detail.html

None of this would be possible without 

• Generous major donors especially Ugo Sap, who owns Eagle Eye Sanctuary Foundation for donkeys in Northern California, plus Wendy McCaw Foundation, the Pettus Crowe Foundation, and the West Hawaii Humane Society. 
• The Humane Society of the United States (especially Inga Gibson and Keith Dane) whose national team found the donors and created a fund just for our donkeys. 
Dr. Brady Bergin of Waimea, who organized EVERYTHING and donated all his professional expertise and services.



Mark and Amy Meyers of Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue and Dr. Brady Bergin of 

Waimea. Photo courtesy Randy C. Horne.

• Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, Mark and Amy Meyers.
Several people who fostered donkeys to make them more "adoptable" by newbies, including CB Horse Rescue and Gena Almaden. 
At least 50, hands-on volunteers, who have donated work, time, and gas and on-going use of their trailers.
Our rancher Stanley Bothello.
Tiffany Bergin (Dr. Bergin's wife) who has managed to have a baby (now 18 months!) and support this effort magnificently, both herself, and by giving us so much of Dr. Bergin's time. 
Dr. Bergin's entire staff, the "Donkey Coordinator," Liz Hendricks who volunteers directly for for Dr Bergin. 
Several local merchants who have given us discounts and free support (food!), including Les at Waikoloa Village Market, Solimene's Restaurant in Waimea, and Donkey Balls candy, Hawaiian Quilt Shop thanks to Mele Waikiki, and Hilo'sTanya Kearns of ManilaExtract.
All the people I left out!
More than 200 adoptions on our Island. (Just heard from a new "parent" yesterday)
Equine 808 which is now re-homing donkeys on Oahu!
And all the adopters in Hawaii that will still come forward, as there are plenty more donkeys to find new homes. And we sure need someone to help with creating a sanctuary right here. We've barely begun to work on that.

State Senator Clayton Hee Video Interview

Just watch:
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2011/09/01/video-volunteers-power-waikoloa-donkey-clinic/

Senator Hee eloquently explains the clinic is the "embodiment of a way of life", an all-volunteer effort of people helping donkeys originally brought here to be hard-working animals for a variety of work, especially in the Kona coffee industry. No tax-payer money has been spent on this on-going, successful project.

Ginger Towne, West Hawaii Humane Society
with Senator Clayton Hee

Senator Hee, participated in the entire clinic, as well as attending our Waikoloa Talk Story the night before, about an hour off his plane from Oahu!  He is an expert horseman and who grew up in Kona on coffee plantations and speaks directly to why we must care for our donkeys.

Dr. Bergin also explains and shows more what happened "in the chute", which was not part of the first video.

Again, thanks to Big Island Video News comes through great viewing and excellent interviews.

Big Island Video News is broadcast on Na Leo Hawaii, channels 53 and 54, Monday through Friday. Set up your recorder now!

Monday through Thursday, 5 pm and 9:30 pm,channel 53

10 minute daily news.

Friday, 5 pm, channel 54 and 9:30, channel 53, 

30 minute weekly wrap up.

Video of Donkey Clinic at Waiki'i Ranch August 27 - 28

Nothing I could tell you about the clinic would be a bit better than asking you to watch this Big Island Video News report. It takes less than 5 minutes, and every second is action packed, in living color, and loaded with information.  Remember, everything you see is done to veterinary equine protocol of the highest standards and the jacks are anesthetized. There is a reason for everything, to protect the donkeys and the people helping them.

http://tinyurl.com/BI-Video-News-Donkey-Clinic

The Waikoloa talk story about donkeys last Friday at the Church was very well attended and we had many special guests. Up front, in addition to the usual cast, we had the four veterinary volunteers from Salinas, California, plus State Senator Clayton Hee. In the audience, were folks who had adopted donkeys and talked of their experiences. 

Senator Hee rode tall in the saddle in the clinic on Saturday and Sunday and was a big help. I was privileged to be at the clinic, watch from outside the fence, and meet all the volunteers. Another Friend of the Waikoloa Nightingales joined me and got to talk story with people from all the Islands, including paniolo on horses and utility vehicles. Horse trailers and trucks galore. Wow, so impressive. 

New! Waikoloa Nightingale Tote Bag Supports HSUS Waikoloa Donkey Fund

Nightingale Tote Bag

A Hilo friend of Malama Waikoloa Nightingales, Tanya Kearns, has been successfully selling these well made totes on her Etsy "Manila Extract" store. (http://www.etsy.com/shop/ManilaExtract). (Click the Nightingale Tote Bag caption to go directly to the tote.)

10% of the proceeds from the sales go to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Waikoloa Donkey Fund. That fund pays for medical supplies and other necessities for Dr. Brady Bergin to continue to provide his professional services  to the Waikoloa Donkeys that are being re-homed (adopted), with all males castrated. Without that financial support for supplies, he could not continue his work.

I've drawn compliments from all over, carrying mine around. It's perfect for holding all the stuff one might need for a meeting or a trip to the beach or while out shopping. These are finely crafted bags, neatly finished  in and out.

Manila Extract also donated clutch bags, good for holding essentials and small items to put in the gifts for the Mainland volunteers coming for the donkey clinic. You can see a similar one here http://www.etsy.com/listing/61340775/island-fresh-kona-coffee-clutch-for-fall.

Waikoloa Talk Story August 26th, 6:30, at Community Church

Talk Story about Waikoloa Donkeys

Friday August 26th at 6:30 – 7:30 PM

Waikoloa Community Church Fellowship Hall

Paniolo Ave., across from Waikoloa School

Malama Waikoloa Nightingales is hosting a Community Talk Story to review the latest developments with our Waikoloa feral donkeys. All Waikoloans are invited and encouraged to participate. 


The leaders of humane efforts to re-home Waikoloa Donkeys are Brady Bergin, Waimea veterinarian, plus Inga Gibson and Keith Dane of the United States Humane Society (USHS). They will review accomplishments and explain the immediately upcoming clinic to examine over 100 captured Waikoloa Nightingale donkeys, castrating the jacks, and readying them for re-homing (adoption).  


USHS Medical Associates veterinarian clinic volunteers from the Mainland will also be on hand for information sharing. Other recent developments, local adoption activities, and the plan to safely fly about 100 donkeys to a renowned donkey rescue in Southern California, in September will be highlighted. This means the vets and their assistants will be creating thorough documentation and "chipping" of individual donkeys so some may be shipped out-of-state.


Community questions and concerns about these volunteer efforts will be addressed, in a Q&A session.


For more information email waikoloanightingale@gmail.com"

New! How Waikoloa Village Can Help Support the Donkeys!

We have a wonderful opportunity to malama the Waikoloa Nightingales from our homes here in Waikoloa. No need to adopt, send large donations, donate or provide vast acreage,

We need individuals to donate food and drinks for lunch for the USHS-assisted donkey clinic on August Saturday, August 27 and Monday, August 29th. Click How to Help Page for all the details! There also a link to it near the upper right corner of this page. A driver and a few other things are useful! If you can't click the link, email waikoloanightingale@gmail.com for details. I can call you back if you include your phone number in your email.

Donkeys can Fly!

Thanks to Keahi Tucker for that line on KHNL News! The news video is in upper right corner. Teri Okita's well written story is printed, also. She did some wonderful telephone interviews.

We are almost ready to begin sending some of the Waikoloa Nightingales to a new home at a premier rescue facility, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, in California. Eager adopters are being lined up there, already. They will all be allowed to live out their full lives.

Transportation of the highest quality is to be provided by Pacific Airlift, compliments of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The donkeys are flying to Southern California the same way a Thoroughbred horse and our finest live Kohala cattle go: with appropriate medical screening and care, a good shower, documentation, a ton of paperwork and under optimal shipping condition. They will be treated like First Class Passengers and will have a smoother trip than most of us do, what with the valet service at departure and arrival, donkey experts flying along with them to monitor them, and free gourmet meals. OK, no gourmet meals, I was making that part up. 

We continue to adopt out donkeys here in Hawai'i, so don't worry about that stopping. And we still have the goal of a donkey preserve so we can manage the herd and control it's growth.

This is thrilling news and a major milestone.

HSUS Vets are coming! August 26 - 29, 2011

The wonderful news that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is sending over a team of professionals from their HSUS Medical Associates, donkey experts all, was shared with us recently! August 26th through the 29th are scheduled. They will assist Dr. Brady Bergin, his assistants, and all the local Donkey Heroes in a big castration clinic. They will also do testing of animals that will be shipped out of Hawaii to check for Donkey diseases, and "chipping" of the donkeys with their individual information. (A microchip is implanted just under their skin,  just like pets with loving owners, so they can be identified if found.) Dr. Bergin is talking to the California State Veterinarian to find out all the information requirements that must be met.

Another big need was met earlier, when a generous donor loaned Dr. Bergin use of some near-by land with plenty of food and water to hold the donkeys. Dr. Bergin and his  has already moved 101 Nightingales there. This is the number we currently are going to have homes for in September.

With the miltiple sightings of 100+ Nightingales around the Waikoloa Road 10 mile marker  collecting still more is no problem, They probably aren't the only ones still out there. We'll have to see what's up with a fly over, or simply seeing more. Which does happen. (I love it when you let me know these things, so be sure and just say "Hi! And give me your scoops at waikoloanightingale@gmail.com..)

Update: Where Did All the Donkeys Go?

If you live here, you know, we have had a good amount of rain. This has allowed the Waikoloa Nightingale donkeys to spread out for green grasses and water. (Donkeys get a lot of water from the young grasses.) This has relieved pressure on the donkeys and they are much less of a problem on Waikoloa Road and less of an annoyance in the neighborhoods.

But they are still here, so stay alert. While the Hawaii Police Department reports no calls on donkey sightings on Waikoloa Road in May (yea!), there was a reliable anecdotal report from a tourist that they avoided a donkey right on the road a few days ago.

They are still around the Village but according to my Waikoloa reporters, they are putting less pressure on the neighborhoods. South Kohala Community Policing Officer Denise Smith-Erickson has seen one in a Waikoloa front yard, and was quite amazed. She'd heard a lot about them, but that was her first sighting, right there!

New: Mobile Viewing - Sorta

"Cell Phone Art" by Brett Rogers
(http://www.beatcanvas.com)

When you are on the go with your handy mobile device, checking Malama-Waikoloa-Nightingales.blogspot.com will now give a nice mini-view of this blog . It doesn't show the columns to the right hand side of page with all the link buttons to donate, contact other sites, the mission statement, nor the disclaimers at bottom of page. For complete functionality, best to check us from a web browser on your mobile device. That involves a lot of scrolling but will give full information.

If you experience difficulties with mobile viewing, please email waikoloanightingale@gmail.com to report your problem. This is a beta feature. Let me know what device you are using.

Update - HSUS, Capture, and Adoptions

Trapping rates have slowed considerably because the donkeys have spread out after the rains. This means HSUS has had to postpone again bringing over a team of veterinarians and assistants with donkey experience to help Dr. Brady Bergin. It will happen when we have enough donkeys.

Also, we will definitely see a capture pen come closer to the Village as soon as there is a significant uptick in reliable sightings in certain areas. It's important to continue to report sightings to Malama Waikoloa Nightingales at WaikkoloaNightingale@gmail.com. Include your address. Your name and phone help too, but where they are, when they are, and how many they are is critical to correct placing the pen where it will catch the most donkeys.

Dr. Bergin and Bird McIver of CB Horse Rescue have an ever growing outreach and new adopters all the time. I think over 300 donkeys have found nice new homes and won't be making more little donkeys to escape and allow the overpopulation to continue. Current captures have slowed.

Update: Hawaiian Horse Rescue's Work with Donkeys

I'd like to relay that the Hawaiian Horse Rescue has fostered and then adopted out over 80 of the donkeys readied by Dr. Bergin and his volunteers. (In all, well over 200 have been re-homed.) All of the donkeys have gone to loving homes right on this Island. Right now there are two mature males awaiting a new home. The Rescue gives pregnant jennies time to foal and ensures a healthy birth, provides medical care, and gives jacks a place to recover from their castrations. These two fellows are good to go.

Just TOO CUTE Not to Post

This photo is from CB Horse Rescue, which is doing such amazing work fostering and caring for and adopting out the donkeys that Dr. Bergin has ready. It is of a yearling that was recently adopted out and an almost-newborn whose Mom was fostered through a difficult pregnancy. Without CB Horse Rescue that Mom would have had a tough go. Mom and baby are doing great!

HPD Report: No Donkeys Reported on Road

The County of Hawaii Police Department reports than in January and February there were no calls about donkeys on Waikoloa Road. Yes!

Remember, you can still see them from the road and about Waikoloa.


See a Donkey on the Road? Call Police Dispatch 935-3311. Click for Details.

Community Meeting Update

Last Thursday's meeting in the WVA Comm Room was a very satisfying experience, audience included, I've heard. There were at least 20 in the audience, which is astounding given the very late announcement of the meeting. Those of you who said you would call or email with special questions and needs and offers: please do!

Dr. Brady Bergin and Keith Dane (Director Equine Protection, Humane Society of the U. S.) gave a thorough update on numbers of donkeys captured and subsequently adopted after castration. (About 130.) The HSUS will definitely send over their team of Vets and Assistants to help us, once we are steadily capturing donkeys again. New locations for a trap are being arranged, 20 acre local holding areas are within our sights, and there are several people who are being interviewed and visited who could help relocate large numbers of donkeys, right on this Island, in good habitat. Keith has spent considerable time doing a site investigation of a very large piece of land with water, fencing, good donkey conditions. There are adopters of smaller numbers of donkeys in queue, with more needed.

Yes, we will be getting to the donkeys that tend to hang mostly around Waikoloa. Those donkeys are pretty much the same donkeys up the hill, there are multiple ways for them to travel up and down the mountain. But we will do trapping here. Right now Brady is working on developing the cooperation needed to capture donkeys in a new area that will be very productive. Keith is in the mix as he sees where HSUS might be able to help provide the nudge to move it along.

Hearing that so many Waikoloans don't think the donkeys are a threat and that they are like the humane approach being taken, and are resolved to the long haul –– That is especially important for Keith to hear, because he needs HSUS and their major donors to know there is strong and consistent community support.

Those with several new ideas about promoting the efforts better and some specific suggestions, I definitely noted them. I'll work on them to the best of my ability. Hey, I can use help!

Special shout outs to

• Bird of CB Hawaii Horse Rescue in Puna who came back to Waikoloa after two full days work with Dr. Bergin's crew and hauling a trailer of donkeys from Waimea to Puna, before turning around and coming back for the meeting. CB Hawaii Horse Rescue has temporarily handled many donkeys, gotten them de-wormed and vaccinated, settled down, personality assessed, farrier care if needed, extensively screened dozens of people who are adopting donkeys from the Rescue. What a wonderful contribution. And, despite her time and high costs, getting adopters to make a donation to defray expenses is still a tough sell. CB Hawaii Horse Rescue is worthy of your attention. CB is a non-profit, donkeys are making it thanks to her personal generosity. See the permanent link on the right.

• North Hawaii News, Editor Ron Eland and contributor Patti Cook, who featured the meeting prominently Thursday edition and lead at least two people to the meeting. This helps over-all community awareness, too, and I am thankful to have NHN!

Dr Brady Bergin, Donkey Hero;  Anika Glass, Malama Waikoloa Nightingales;  Keith Dane, USHS National Equine Protection Director.

Donations to the HSUS Hawaii Donkey fund pass directly to Waikoloa donkeys, see "donate" on the right. This covers the expenses Dr. Bergin wants covered, and much more.

Waikoloa Donkey Community Meeting on THURSDAY @ 6:30!

Waikoloa Nightingale Donkey Community Meeting!

Thursday February 17

6:30 PM

WVA Community Room

This coming Thursday, a community meeting to update the community and provide another opportunity to express concerns or ask questions is planned. A great time to compare notes and to help the team locate where there are donkey poking about.
Dr. Brady Bergin, Waimea veterinarian, and  Keith Dane, Director Equine Protection, Humane Society of the United States, will brief the community on recent progress managing and re-homing the feral Waikoloa donkeys in the Waikoloa Village Association Community Room, 68-1792 Melia St.
All welcome. Beginning at 6:30 PM, the meeting will be 1 hour, with plenty of time access after for individual discussions with the experts. The meeting is hosted by Mālama Waikoloa Nightingales. For more information, call 937-2309.

HB 1334 - Deferred!

Iʻm happy to report that the House Water, Land and Ocean (WLO) Committee "deferred" action on “HB 1334, Relating to Feral Animals,” that would have let a State agency the right to control any mammal in sweeping and ill-advised ways, including spreading feral animals far and wide, even requiring the County to pay for spreading them, with no funding.

There was lots of public testimony, including ours, and Friends of Malama Waikoloa Nightingales. 

Deferred means it is "probably" dead for this 2011 Legislative Session, but I will keep an eye on it to make sure it doesnʻt sneak back.  The Hawaii Legislature www.capitol.hawaii.gov website is useful for finding and tracking bills.

update... It is pau. There may be other developments, but not such sweeping ones. And not a Bill this session.

HOT Action Update: Waikoloa Nightingale Donkeys Need Your Help NOW

House Bill 1334, Relating to Feral Animals - Oppose

“HB 1334, Relating to Feral Animals,” is a very concerning piece of legislation that would give State agencies the right to control any mammal deemed feral. The alternatives given to the State are sweeping and unnecessary.The Bill is linked above and elsewhere in this post.

... update... issue currently 'dead'. Something may still come about, but not this.

Donkeys in the News!

Yes, the Medical Associates of the Humane Society of the U.S. has delayed sending its team of veterinarians over because we couldn't guarantee having a minimum of 100 ready for them. But it's still on for when we can.

Meanwhile, Dr. Bergin and our rancher have caught 35 and have them in process for the more than 50 pre-approved adopters who are awaiting them! So, it goes on, and we will get there!

Catherine Cruz of KITV is doing a super job in following this story! http://www.kitv.com/news/26739172/detail.html

Planning Begins for Donkey Sanctuary

While we definitely still have donkeys available for adoption, we also are beginning work in earnest for some sort of permanent donkey playground, sanctuary, fenced place that is near by where we can maintain a herd of some size, using humane birth control methods. How big it is and where it is determines the number that can be protected from their own over-population in the future. Fencing, water, access, food, ... a long list of needs to manage a successful program. The United States Humane Society once again is stepping forward to give us guidance and assistance. This will be a local effort, but their advice and ideas are invaluable. Three experts from the USHS will be here in Waikoloa soon to meet with volunteers and community leaders to help us plan a way forward.   We are hoping for good participation from a variety of folks. I'll post after the meeting with who participated in the discussion and with some highlights.

Horse Journal Publishes Waikoloa Nightingale Plight

The Hawaii Horse Journal, Malama Lio, published a full page article on the status of re-homing the donkeys around Waikoloa. The Journal can be downloaded, the article is on page 14, complete with two cute pix. The magazine is read by horse enthusiasts from all the Islands and elsewhere, too!   Many thanks to this absorbing publication.

You'll need to download the entire .pdf file to read the article, this is best done from their website malama-lio.com.

Team of HSUS Vets Coming to Waikoloa: Needed–Corral and Fenced Pasture

Do you have some fenced land near Waikoloa?

The Medical Associates of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is bringing in three volunteer veterinarians and two vetinary assistants to conduct a clinic neuter captured male donkeys. They will assist Dr. Brady Bergin for 5 days in February. Dr. Bergin with assistants, paniolos and ranchers plan to  capture 100-120 donkeys and have them in a holding area with a cattle corral in time for their visit. After the clinic, the donkeys will be available for adoption.

It is going to be a challenge to capture them because the rain (which is good news) allowed the donkeys to scatter out with more plentiful food and water.

The donkeys who are captured need food and water.  Money can be donated to the USHS to buy feed and other resources used to care for the donkeys. Volunteers are providing veterinary,  logistical and donkey-handling. Please donate money to the USHS Waikoloa donkey program, at www.humanesociety.org/hawaiidonkeys.

Also, see the "How to Help Page".