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!

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.

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".

45 Attend Waikoloa Community Donkey Forum

Forty-five residents and neighbors attended a lively Donkey Forum at the Waikoloa Community Church November 17. There was lots of progress reported on humane management of the herds, to relieve the stress on donkeys, residents, and drivers.

First: see this video by Big Island Video News to catch the excitement!

Waimea Veterinarian Dr. Brady Bergin arrived straight from a full day of donkey duties, in his scrubs, to describe the current efforts to capture, castrate, and re-home donkeys. About 100 have been adopted to date. Dr. Bergin is working with a rancher above Waikoloa right now. Plans are to expand efforts in and around Waikoloa Village. Dr. Bergin and his amazing team are in the process of approving adoption applications in preparation for re-homing donekys.

Inga Gibson of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) had good news, as well. HSUS is providing financial support and soliciting donations for donkey. A search is under way for a secure rancing corral in our area to be used as a temporary holding site for the trapped donkeys. This would allow the gathering of a large number of donkeys so the HSUS Veterinary Medical Association can fly in a team to help Dr. Bergin castrate a larger numbers of males more efficiently. If you know of such a site, please call Aina Hou Animal Hospital at 989-6149.
People can donate via a restricted and dedicated account specifically at www.humanesociety.org/hawaiidonkeys.  Donors may also drop off a check at any Hawaii Island Humane Society (HIHS) shelters. (Kona, Waimea and Keaau.) Make checks payable HIHS, with a note on the check, “Waikoloa Donkeys”.

Click to download a donkey adoption application. We need adopters pre-approved, after large castration clinics, the donkeys can be quickly re-homed.

See the new "How to Help" page on this blog for many other needs.

HPD Community Policing Officer Paul Bugado asked attendees not to water donkeys in their yards, because it draws ever more donkeys into Waikoloa Village. Dr. Bergin and Inga confirmed the donkeys do have water sources available.

Anika Glass thanked HPD for its commitment to put up occasional electronic signage on Waikoloa Road. Mahalo also to Hawaii County Public Works for testing “Strieter-lites” near the 7 Mile Marker of Waikoloa Road. “Strieter-lites” may help mitigate the appearance of donkeys on Waikoloa Road. (See http://www.strieter-lite.com/)

Real progress is being made on humanely managing our Waikoloa donkeys and preventing any donkey crisis that might be in our future. Thank you for your continued patience and support.