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.
