Now that WVA has decided it does not want help castrating male donkeys (before they are re-located) or in finding homes for them, we've been able to move forward quickly with plans to re-home about 40 donkeys from other property near Waikoloa. The long wait is over and we are thrilled to be moving ahead. Other people are eager for help with the donkeys on their land.
WVA has decided to step back from it's efforts to relocate donkeys and rely on public pressure to get someone else to do it. It relocated either 40 or 80 or some other number of donkeys without castrating the males, despite several offers of free service. This could lead to the spread of feral donkeys on the Island at some point in the future.
WVA, of which many of us are members, is worried about liability issues. The concern: If WVA is doing something to help solve the donkey problem, will it be liable if someone is hurt by a donkey? Since WVA owns the donkeys on its property, it seems like NOT doing something would open WVA to even more liability, but I'm not the attorney!
The great team of veterinarians, Humane Society of the United States and all of us at Malama Waikoloa Nightingales are working on the short and long term plans to get a handle on the donkey population. Meanwhile, we are re-homing some donkeys to carefully vetted owners.
