Palin votes for donkeys

The media has been abuzz over the last few days with Vice Presidential Nominee, Sarah Palin's wearing of a scarf emblazoned with donkeys at a campaign stop in Reno, Nevada. While most assume that the fashion f-up was a "vote Democrat" scarf, we at the Donkey Blog suggest that Palin is actually a supporter of the Donkey species. We urge you to forget the Democrats and Republicans when you go to the polls this November. Vote for donkeys!! photo courtesy of the Belfast Telegraph.

Donkeys In The News

Donkeys all over the world are garnering a little extra respect from their human counterparts this week. In Shelbyville, TN, the 17th Annual Great Celebration Mule & Donkey Show will take place on July 10-12th. The Murfreeboro Post has the story...

Celebration Mule, Donkey show starts Thursday
Monday, July 7, 2008 10:08 am

The 17th annual Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show is on its way, and everyone in the community and the mule and donkey industry are poised for a great time with good friends, good food, and their favorite animals.

The 2008 event will take place July 10-12 at the Historic Celebration Grounds in Shelbyville.

Every year the show brings competitors from all over the country to Shelbyville to show their mules and donkeys. While the show consistently boasts quality entries, the competitive nature of the event is a friendly one.

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Tickets for the Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show are, per day: adults $6; children ages 7-12 $3; and children six and under are free. Three-day passes are available for $15. For more information contact The Celebration office at (931) 684-5915. For more information, go to: http://www.twhnc.com/.


From half way around the world comes our next story. Lalit Raizada, a journalist based in India tells his story of how his opinions of donkeys has changed after spending some time with the wonderful animals. GulfNews.com has this story...

Donkey is poor, but not stupid
By Lalit Raizada, July 08, 2008, 00:09

Almost everywhere around the globe, the donkey is looked down upon. For ages, the animal has been a subject of ridicule and contempt and is made fun of.

If one has to berate a person, he is put on par with an ass. And the person would understand what star-rating you are giving him and why.

I was always curious to know why this poor creature has earned the kind of reputation it has. Even though coming from the horse family, it remains a poor cousin of the stallion.

One day while strolling by the riverside, I came across a small herd of donkeys leisurely grazing in the area. I sat down on a rock face to face with one of them and observed it closely. Aha, what a beautiful (and dutiful) creature it was!

I bet that if you had sat with me, you would also have noticed that the poor creature has a very innocent, albeit heavy, face with innocent looks in the truest sense of the word. There are no traces of mischief like that of a monkey. The gaping nostrils over thick black but spongy muzzle do not grimace at anybody.

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Revolution!

An eight-year-old Mediterranean miniature donkey, named Mason, escaped from human custody at the Aberdeen park in the UK on Friday night. Vandals forced open the pen that contained Mason and his friends, allowing the escape. After Genevieve's escape last month, this reporter can only assume that a worldwide Donkey Revolution is beginning. Some day soon, all of the donkeys may rise up and take their place as leaders of our world. All you need to ask yourself is: Whose side will you be on?

The Press and Journal has Mason's story....

Runaway donkey set free from pen in pets’ corner
By Stephen Christie, Published: 24/06/2008

AN INTREPID donkey less than 3ft tall made a break for freedom after its pen in an Aberdeen park was targeted by vandals.

Mason, a Mediterranean miniature donkey, was later found wandering down a busy city street after taxi drivers alerted the police.

The eight-year-old, which has been a resident at Hazlehead Park’s pets corner for six-and-a-half years, escaped after vandals forced open the gate to its pen.

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Donkeys In The News: South Africa Edition

Cleopatra, a talented donkey in South Africa has made headlines today for responding to phrases and pounding her hoof to answer math problems. When approached for a comment, Lawrenceville Leonard said nothing, but did not appear to be impressed. The Times has this story...

Donkey’s tricks prove she’s a smart ass
by Taschica Pillay, Published:Jun 22, 2008

Cleopatra is one clever girl.

The donkey, at Dayspring Farmyard in Zululand, is wowing visitors with her ability to do arithmetic, shake hooves, nod and play dead — skills she was taught by Sally Dilton-Hill, a retired teacher from Zimbabwe.

This week, Cleo proved her counting prowess when she correctly beat her hoof on the ground 11 times when asked “What is six plus three plus two?”

Her owners, former Zimbabweans Dave and Les Ervine, say Cleo leaves visitors speechless when she is able to count to 12 and answer simple arithmetic questions with her hoof.

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Also out of South Africa this week is a sad story with a happy ending. Coffee, a two year old donkey was rescued earlier this month by the SPCA from a sewage soak pit, where he had been for trapped for 40 hours. After weeks of treatment, medication and love, Coffee is now doing better. Lawrenceville Leonard did not comment, but seemed to snort happily when he was told the good news. IOL has this story...

Mission: donkey rescue
By Rivonia Naidu, June 20 2008 at 01:43PM

He's been affectionately named Coffee because of the area he was rescued from. He has big brown eyes that could make anybody fall in love with him. His favourite food is brown bread, and he's a donkey that has captured the hearts of many pet lovers.

"And to think he could have died if someone hadn't called us to rescue him," said Vicky Power from the Kloof and Highway Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Speaking about Coffee's miraculous rescue and recovery process, Power said staff and volunteers from the SPCA were "thankful" to have been called out to the coffee farm area of Mariannhill on June 3 to help save the two-year-old donkey's life.

She said when they arrived on the scene, they were "saddened" to find Coffee stuck in a "very small soak pit", a hole where sewage slowly seeps into the ground through holes on the sides and bottom.

Power said according to residents Coffee had been trapped in the soak pit for about 40 hours before he was rescued.

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Donkeys in the News...

As previously reported, a Donkey was jailed in Southern Mexico after biting and kicking two men. Lawrenceville Leonard still has no comment on the situation, but unnamed witnesses claim that he has looked more depressed in recent days. NPR.com has the resolution to this story...

Nasty Donkey Now Has Police Record
Morning Edition, May 22, 2008

A donkey has been released from a Mexican jail. Blacky the burro was charged with assault and battery after biting and kicking, two men near a ranch outside Chiapas. Blacky served three days. And his owner paid a fine to cover hospital bills and salary for the days the victims missed work. Police officer Sinar Gomez pointed out, "Around here, if someone commits a crime they are jailed — no matter who they are."

In the UK, government officials are concerned that fat kids may harm donkeys during beach donkey rides. An 8 stone limit (roughly 100lbs) has been put in place to ensure donkey safety. When approached for comment, Lawrenceville Leonard turned and walked away slowly. The Daily Star has this story...

DONKEY RIDES MAKE KIDS WEIGHT
May 2008

Council weight-watchers have been out for the first time making sure obese children do not take donkey rides.

Blackpool is the first resort in Britain to adopt an eight stone weight limit for people taking a ride across the sands and the new rule came in for the first time this weekend.

The town already has a Donkey Charter brought in 60 years ago to ensure the beach donkeys get meal breaks and days off.

The council worked with animal welfare charity The Donkey Sanctuary to introduce the rule. A Town Hall spokesman said: “It is cruel to donkeys to have to carry a child who is obese.”

Mark Ineson, who has spent 11 summers with his donkeys, said: “If something is not right it has to be dealt with.”

Donkeys in the News...

A donkey has been jailed in Southern Mexico after biting and kicking two men. Lawrenceville Leonard could not be reached for comment. Check out the story from DaileyNews.co.za:

High-kicking donkey in jail
May 20, 2008 Edition 3

TUXTLA GUTIERREZ: A donkey is doing time in southern Mexico for assault and battery.

The animal was locked up at a local jail after it bit and kicked two men near a ranch in Chiapas state, police said yesterday.

Officer Sinar Gomez said the donkey will remain behind bars until its owner agrees to pay the men's medical bills.

"Around here, if someone commits a crime they are jailed," Gomez said, "no matter who they are."