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.