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.

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.

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"

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.

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.

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.

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.

KITV's Catherine Cruz Reports on Waikoloa Donkeys

A big mahalo to Catherine Cruz and her team from KITV who came over and taped and created a three-part show on our feral Waikoloa Donkeys. The three segments are linked below. I don't know how long they will remain posted by KITV.
Kris Kosa‐Correia, Waikoloa School Principal, is featured, along with the rancher who is working with us, Dr. Brady Bergin, and Inga Gibson, USHS. There is wonderful footage of the donkeys up close and accurate reporting. Take a look.

KITV Waikoloa Donkeys 1
KITV Waikoloa Donkeys 2
KITV Waikoloa Donkeys 3.

Donkeys in the VIDEO News!

Look at this great video news story by Dave Corrigan of Big Island Video News. Thoughtful interviews with Keith Dane, HSUS Equine Director, and Dr. Brady Bergin of Waimea about hope for our donkeys. Big Island Video News covers many Kohala topics and is found at http://www.bigislandvideonews.com and also has regular showings on Na Leo o Hawaii public access television. Bookmark it!

VIDEO: Waikoloa donkeys discussed at Hawaii Horse Expo

Today's North Hawaii News has an excellent article on last Saturday's community meeting with Waikoloa Village Association, United States Humane Society, and Dr. Brady Bergin. On news stands now. Check out the donkey dos and donkey don'ts.

Community Meeting on Donkeys a Great Success!

The Donkey Round Table at the WVA Conference room was well attended. We ran out of chairs! On a Saturday night! I'll count chairs to see how many were in attendance, and add 15.

The audience represented every view point about donkeys I can imagine exists. That was a very good thing.

A large number of homeowners directly affected by donkeys on their properties were also involved and great participants.

I am very happy to report:

The WVA will very likely support paying for water to keep a large number of donkeys from descending into the Village while it continues its efforts to capture and re-home the ones currently around the village. They may also help defray costs of medicines used to neuter male donkeys that are re-homed, so we are not just moving the problem around. These costs are very moderate, a tiny fraction of the money the WVA had to spend on one fence to keep donkeys off the golf course. There were pros and cons expressed on this; I think most people are in agreement with this general plan.

Please mention your support for these plans to a WVA Board Member. This will help ensure a positive outcome.  You can reach the WVA Board Members by phone or by email to wvaadmin2@waikoloa.org and asking it to be forwarded to all or certain Board Members.

Dr. Brady Bergin is willing to perform services as needed on a volunteer basis, and has other vets lined up to also pitch in. The Humane Society of the United States (USHS) can also send in a team, if we need one.

Both Dr. Bergin and the HSUS are very optimistic about mid and long term plans to manage the herds at a sustainable level. Keith Dane, their National Equine Director stepped up to the plate with many ideas they will explore. HSUS have excellent contacts and resources to bring to help in the effort of humanely keep the donkey population from growing so fast. They are actively working on these very issues today, making a technical presentation at the Horse Expo in Waikoloa today, Sunday, to gain interest and support for the ideas they have.

The time will come when more will be needed of us, but nothing we can't do. Right now, just be grateful! WVA members, please let the Board know of your support.

Donkeys in Your Yard? Donkeys in the Road, Too. Please Don't Provide Water!

Watering donkeys near your property draws more donkeys around the Village and making that many more of them down the hill, where there is no fencing. That donkey warning sign on Waikoloa Rd, just makai of Paniolo is there because donkeys have been sighted in that area for some time. They are down around the Fire Department, too.

Plus providing water to them near your yard is keeping them away from the safe capture point where donkeys are captured and removed from the Village. That is the solution. Let it work.

Please see previous posts on the subject of "water".

Please, pass this word around: don't water the donkeys. The donkeys don't need it and while it might keep them out areas of your yard, it has delayed the WVA's relocation efforts.

Donkey Relocation Update

Jim Whillock has provided an update to Waikoloa Village Association (WVA) members on the donkeys the WVA is capturing and relocating in order to keep them out of people's yards. Members of Malama Waikoloa Nightingales have been able to verify the methods of trapping and movement are humane, and that the place the donkeys are being taken is a good place. This will help reduce the frequency of donkeys on lower Waikoloa Road.

Donkey Relocation Update

The Waikoloa Village Association Manager reports that some donkeys around Waikoloa have been moved to fenced areas mauka. Plans are to capture "a larger part of the herd". At that point they will be moved to a place I am looking in to. It is probably fine. Still checking.

Donkey Capture Status

None of the donkeys around Waikoloa Village have been trapped yet, although the arrangement to lure them in the corral is in place. After they are trapped they are to be moved to a safe location and received care. We're in the process of double checking this is a good future for the donkeys, we think it will be.

Once successful, this will reduce (not eliminate) the threat of donkeys on lower Waikoloa Road.

Donkey Fencing

I was able to get a good look at the extensive fencing done by the WVA to keep donkeys off the golf course. The manager says it is working. In my daytime observation, it is definitely keeping goats out, there were dozens of them running up and down outside the fence. The fence is on the far side of the course in the photo below, not really visible in this photo.

The WVA has contracted with a business to capture donkeys by luring them to temporary corrals. Once the corral has captured donkeys, the corral must be moved, as donkeys are smart and won't go into that corral in the same place again! WVA plans to move donkeys somewhere and also to have the males gelded.

WVA Manager's Plan

This is the document regarding donkeys written and handed out by WVA General Manager at the November 18, 2009 WVA Talk Story. It gives background and the current plan. We've come a long way from where the plan was to "turn over" the donkeys to "DLNR." Great news!

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=16961077

Update: Oh what tangled webs some folks weave as they continue their life-long pattern of deceit. Very little of this was the truth at the time, and I knew it at the time. But I had agreed to be a good girl and not point out the lies, exaggerations, and broken promises, in the interest of the donkeys.

News flash, donkeys do die eventually due to a wide variety of causes, especially feral ones.

A great number of points were later rescinded. For example, it is NOT WVA manager's duty to protect homeowner properties. The job is to not expose WVA to liability of helping out with donkeys.  The liability of neglecting homeowner is not an issue and continues today the same. Although it could change with our new manager. He's just going with the flow right now. The standard procedure when someone discovers donkeys munching their trees is they call the office, office person says there is nothing they can do as they are not WVA's donkey's (even though they came directly from WVA land. Then office person says they can call me for help. I advise building a (WVA-approved) fence. I listen to sputtering for a while and then just make notes to pass on to the team. People who missed this all the first time around still think there is someone charged with getting rid of the donkeys in their yard, like Ghost Busters! Yeah, Who Ya Gonna Call?  I'll come right over and talk the wild, feral animal into a trailer and haul it away, ANYWHERE away, and not send a bill. I think Ghost Busters sent bills but it didn't cover their expenses.

There was such vindictiveness headed at me for telling people of WVA's plans to cull herds (yes, I heard it on two occasions, once it was "no more than 20 donkeys to be killed") that two community groups I belong to were singled out for unfair, discriminatory treatment and endless bad mouthing by management. Wow, just wow. But, when the "laser beam" of the MEDIA points out the things someone plans to do and has actually done, some folks go into Blender Mode. That's where every excuse and sloppy lies are spun around till goopey and then the lid flies off and it spews on everyone within range.

Yes I'll delete this later, I'm having a flash back.