Let’s give some love to the rescues this Valentine’s Day! All the long ears at SYA are looking for you to be their date on Valentines Day!
It costs $20 a day to shelter and feed one rescue donkey. With a $20 donation you can take one long ear of your choosing on a donkey date day! Thank you for being their date on a day where they don’t have their own home yet. Because of you and your support they will soon!
Thank you for your help and support to get the long ears this far, we couldn’t do it without you! We hope your day is filled with love and donkey hugs. ❤️
Love,
The SYA Crew and all the animals! Paloma, Bunny, Apollo, Athena, Benjamin, Finley, Fern and Stephen.
2023 Calendars are 20% off now through the end of February.
We always look forward to receiving mail this time of year, when the thoughtful cards and happy news seem to outweigh the bills. Today was the most spectacular mail day and the timing could not be more perfect as we go from the dark, toward the light.
In today’s mail, we got the OFFICIAL letter from the IRS saying “We’re pleased to tell you we determine you’re exempt from the federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501 (c)(3). Donors can deduct contributions they make to you under IRC section 170. You’re also qualified to receive tax-deductible bequests, devices, transfers, or gifts under Section 2055,2106, or 2522.”
Huge thanks to all of you who believed in us, in our sense of integrity and transparency throughout what was a huge, emotional ordeal for us.
Our beloved treasurer, Jean Marie Cross Nichols along with the help of her bookkeeper friend is mostly responsible for making this happen, they put so many long hours into sorting all the paperwork. Thank you both for all of your hard work!
Thank you so much to the folks who participated in our calendar photo contest! We are very happy to say that the calendars have arrived and we are shipping them out daily so they hopefully get to everyone before Christmas.
Many of you have asked about the progress on regaining our non profit status. We’ve been working diligently to get it back. It’s been quite an uphill battle and is proving much more difficult than we anticipated. Here’s where we are; written by our secretary and new treasurer, Jean Cross.
This summer SYALER received a notice no nonprofit wants to hear. Our nonprofit status had been revoked due to the required 990s not being filed for three consecutive years. This came as a surprise to all of us. Our bookkeeper was sure she had filed at least the 2019 one, and we had copies of that file, which seemed to prove that. However, the IRS did not have any record of it and did not have any way of accepting it on its own at this late date. So, we were left to do the work and reconstruct the books for years. Our bookkeeper had gone silent. It may have just been too much for her to handle, we may never know. Our board being as small and tight as it is, jumped in to fill the gap. Bank accounts got new signers, QuickBooks got reconciled, and cash flow reports were run. This took a lot of time, as we had to recreate back to the beginning of 2019. The 990s were finished and mailed as of 11/21/2022. The required 1023 was filed on 11/20/2022. Now we wait. It could take as long as 18 months. Hopefully it won’t, but we have asked what do we do in the meantime?
This is what we do. We rally around the long ears. That is what we are all about. We have done what we can to make the IRS happy. When they reinstate our account, it will be reinstated back to the date they revoked it. All donations will still be tax deductible. This means, all of us will continue to work at what we do best. Hannah, Lauren and Laura will be seeing to the care of the farm and animals. Ann being our grounding support, Jean will be seeing to the books and reports, Elise will be supporting us by being our voice of reason.
We have taken in some animals this fall that have needed a lot of medical care, we are getting calls from people who need to surrender their animals to us before the worst of winter gets here. All that cost’s money. That is where you can help them, and us. Don’t be afraid of the punch to gut we received; we are more than that. You all have supported us through so much over the years. We are asking for that support again. The organizations that have graciously supported us in the past may not be able to until our paperwork comes back which means we will need the support of all you a little more this year then we have in the past. Please consider us when you plan your giving Tuesday/ year-end gift giving. The long ears thank you, and we as the board thank you.
Sincerely,
Ann Firestone
Hannah Allen
Elise Paffrath
Jean Cross
Donate to Save OUR Asses
Photos of animals currently in our care
Gandalf takes a drink of warm water dressed in his giant purple winter coat.
“Comfort in numbers.” From left to right, Athena, Apollo and Stephen all take an after breakfast nap together in the field.
Newest addition, Benjamin checks out his surroundings after coming off of the trailer and is welcomed to the rescue.
Athena walks up from the field for her breakfast mash.
Left to right, Betsy and Gandalf become friends though the fence before Betsy was let into the main herd.
Fern watching me throw hay in the field for her and her friends to eat.
Thank you all from the bottoms of our hearts, it’s for the equines that we keep on keeping on.
Happy New Year from all of us at SYALER. What a weird year it has been. Between trying to keep the rescue up and running thru a pandemic, dealing with the price of everything skyrocketing, and having more than the average number of animals coming to us in need of veterinary care it has been trying, to say the least.
In the past year, we have taken in 36 animals into the rescue.
We have placed 28 animals in wonderful new approved homes.
Two animals had to be humanely euthanized.
We currently have 17 animals waiting to find their forever family’s. ️
This past year we have incurred over $25,000. in veterinary bills.
Many of the animals we have taken in have been in need of serious veterinary work, including major dental care. One needed a trip to a large animal hospital in Vermont for a hoof surgery, and many needed blood work done to determine health issues and know what meds and supplements were needed.
All of this has been made possible due to the generosity, kindness, and compassion of our wonderful support team of donors. Hannah and I thank you so very much. We appreciate you more than words can say. So many animals truly would not be where we are today without your help. We know the donkeys and mules in our care are extremely grateful as well.
We wish you all a very Happy New Year and good health and happiness in the coming year.
I have never been happier to see a year come to an end. 2019 has been the most difficult year for Save Your Ass Long Ear rescue since our inception as a non-profit in 2007. At this time last year, I was recovering from a broken leg and messed up ankle.
This is when my friend, and most amazing employee Hannah Exel, stepped up to the plate. She has not backed down since. Hannah has been an animal lover since her childhood; nurtured at the knee of her grandfather Elbridge Bellows. His love of his draft horses got and kept Hannah especially interested in equines.
The “manure hit the fan” in April when we took in six sick donkeys which changed our workload dramatically. Hannah went into overdrive. She worked, and continues to work closely with our wonderful veterinarian, Dr. Kristen Clapp and super tech Remington Morancy, in keeping on top of what animals need and setting up appointments to make sure those needs are taken care of. Hannah is no stranger to hard work and totes hay bales and snow plows driveways and paddocks, and feeds the rescues and cares for them 5 days out of the week. She has become a fencing wizard, ensuring all animals are safely confined within beautiful, straight fence lines. It has been an amazing experience for me to see this young woman who came to work at SYA in 2015 blossom and become a real force to be reckoned with. I am proud that Hannah is not only a valued board member, but Shelter Manager, and has gotten the positive reinforcement bug big time and has become a phenomenal trainer. She is taking Ben Hart’s training course and will be starting Dr. Susan Friedman’s LLA class this month. I would not have made it through this last year without the knowledge that she had my back. The trust and friendship that has developed between us really came into the forefront in 2019. We are in this together.
I also want to thank the wonderful volunteers who help us out in so many ways. We would not be where we are today without the help of Joan Gemme, Andria Elliot, Pamela Kissell, Mike Dunham, Pamela Simmons, Logan, Jennifer Molnar, Regina Molnar, Johnny Carroll, and my amazingly supportive, fun loving B.O.D.; Hannah, Elise Paffrath, JoEllen Barton, and Jean Cross. Hannah’s fiance’ Trevor Allen, and my most amazingly supportive husband Jeff who had no idea what he started when he got me a donkey for my birthday close to thirty years ago. Lastly, but certainly in no way least; YOU!! Our SYA “family” who have been over the top with your support; both emotional and financial this year. Asking for help is very hard for me and I have hated to have had to have done it so often. You folks stepped up big time!!
Hannah and I are very grateful to you all. Best wishes to you all for a healthy, happy, peace and loved filled 2020.
Ann
Hi everyone this is Hannah chiming in as a PS!
I am going to share a little bit about Ann now..
Heres a little info on the Founder of Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue; Ann Firestone. Ann has always loved animals ever since she was a very young age, she used to rescue squirrels, chipmunks, and other small injured animals that crossed her path. Being an animal lover one of her favorite books was Brighty of the Grand Canyon. Since that book, she always wanted a donkey of her own. Ann got her first donkey in 1990. Be Bop a Lula was her name. A small brown miniature donkey with tiny little legs and sweet soft eyes. Ann and Jeff, her husband brought her to their home in South Acworth and their long journey of donkey rescue began!
She took in many other animals people couldn’t take care of anymore, mostly donkeys as you could probably guess. Being a Vet tech for many years she knew how to nurture them to health and either re-home them or keep them as part of her family.
The Rescue has been ongoing since 2006 but officially got the 501c3 status in 2007! Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue was born! Ann and the rescue have adopted out on average 30-40 animals per year, that means SYA has adopted out roughly 400 donkeys and mules, (and one miniature horse) in 13 years! She has been many things over the years, a certified dog trainer who is dedicated to positive reinforcement training, a Vet Tech, a licensed wildlife rehabber, and currently the Co-Founder and President of SYALER. This year has honestly has been a crapshoot. If not for our supporters being so generous the rescue would not still be here.
We have been working double time this whole year just to catch up and to keep the rescue going. I am fortunate to be able to go home from all the chaos at the end of the day and on weekends, but Ann is in it 24/7. I have never met some on who gave so much of themselves and their life to saving animals. Often times Ann is up late replying to emails, sending thank you notes, and filling orders, she works very hard to keep this whole thing going! She is an amazing person who deserves to be recognized but would never mention any of this herself, so here I am!
Its the time of year we run our annual appeal!
We set a goal for our greatest need and create a fundraiser. When asked what we need we don’t normally know what to say besides the normal hay, grain and supplements. This year it has become quite apparent that we need a more adequate shelter for our quarantined animals. We have done a lot of research on what would best suit our needs, and that is a 12×24 shelter with two stalls. We would like the second stall for storing hay grain, etc. so we don’t contaminate the rest of the farm by bringing items back and fourth.
The shelter we have been using really took a beating in the last wind storm we had when it went belly up. We think the animals that are rescued by us should have a better welcome than this. The Shelter we are currently using has been good as a temporary emergency shelter. It was put up in the middle of last February before bailing two Belgian draft mules from the kill pen. The rain, wind, and snow still get into the shelter, which waists shavings that should be dry. We think the incoming long ear members of SYA deserve to have a cozy shelter to welcome them into our embrace. With a new shelter we could ensure they will be safe, warm and dry. This is very important to us as the first couple of weeks we spend with the donkey/mule are a sensitive time. We let them adjust, we do not force them to be friends with us. We show up, we are present and we give them what they need to heal physically and emotionally. Eventually this helps us to better get to know them when they are in a more comfortable state. When an animal comes in this time of year, it increases the risk of colic and other issues significantly.
In addition to raising money to purchase a new shelter for our fur babies, we are trying very hard to replenish our bank account to stock up on things like grain, hay, supplements that we need or the daily care of the animals. We believe it is our purpose and calling in life to make a difference in these equines lives. We have all the love in the world to give, but unfortunately love does not pay the vet bills, farrier bills, the animals groceries, and shavings. It takes a lot of time and money and heart to do this work, and of course dedicated supporters like yourselves.
Last year we did not reach our goal, we are very hopeful this year that we will. Please help us by supporting our cause!
I apologize for the lapse in newsletters. For those of you who do not visit us via FaceBook, you don’t know what has been going on here so I will begin with an update.
In April we took in six donkeys from a sale barn who came to us very, very ill. Our vet prepared us for the fact that they might not all make it. The donkeys were diagnosed with influenza and another virus. One of them, only a baby herself, aborted her foal. Two weeks after that the mules who were not even near the donkeys, came down with strangles. (The donkeys did NOT have strangles) The whole farm was put in quarantine. We beefed up our bio security big time; hazmat suits for all, foot covers, gloves, bleach to clean EVERYTHING anyone touched. Foot baths outside every entrance to every barn, and a change of suits; clothing EVERY time we changed locations.
I am happy to report that the donkeys have all recovered. After being brought up to date with vaccinations and having their hooves, which were in horrid condition trimmed they will soon be ready to be adopted. We have negative test results on three of the mules, and two more will be tested next week. Hopefully they too will have negative results and be ready to go to new homes.
This ordeal has been incredibly stressful emotionally. It has seriously impacted our financial footing as well and it’s not over yet. We have incurred close to 9,000 in vet bills. We have been blown away by the amazing generosity of our loyal supporters. If not for this wonderful group of people I don’t know how we would have made it through this. I don’t have the words to adequately express our gratitude.
I would be remiss if I did not thank our amazing vet Kristen Clapp and uber technician Remington Morancy; they have been phenomenal. Thanks to State Veterinarian Steve Crawford for working with us as well. Of course super star Hannah Exel stepped right up to the plate and did whatever needed to be done. The help of our part time worker Kim Nelson and our Farm Fam pal Pomme took a bit of the load off as well. Wonderful SYA volunteer Pam Kissel willingly dressed in hazmat gear to make sure all the animals got groomed and some cuddle time. Those suits are like a wearable sauna. NOT FUN. In the thirteen years of running the rescue I have never had to deal with anything like this and hope to never have to again!
I hope to get back on track with regular newsletters.
I apologize for the lapse between newsletters. It’s been a rough winter. I recently lost my first donkey Lula at age 28 . That was a tough one for me. Jeff got her for me as a gift and we brought her home in the back of a van when she was 16 weeks old. It is because of Lula that I began to reach out to other donkey owners, read everything I could get my hands on about donkeys and their care, their nutritional needs, behavioral needs, and what it takes to start a rescue. The rest is history.
We have taken in a lot of animals with medical issues, those needing a lot of “fattening up”, and those with severe hoof issues. The weather has been challenging as well. Thankfully we are finally getting some warmer, sunny days and life is looking a bit more optimistic.
We have recently said farewell to two of our devoted board members, Joan Gemme, and Jean Cornish. They will be missed. We wish them well in their new endeavors. Thankfully Joan will still be volunteering to help with the auction and side projects for which we are very grateful!
We are in the process of looking for a new treasurer for the BOD as well as someone gifted in the art of fund raising. If you or anyone you know might be interested please let me know.
We currently have several adoptions pending and several in the works, just waiting for i’s to be dotted and t’s to be crossed. Shadow will be going to a wonderful home where she will have the company of many other donkeys of varying sizes. Sol and Luna will be going to their new home next month, as hopefully will be Ruth and Ezra. We have people interested in Molly and Shadow, so hopefully all will be in new, loving homes before long. We love having them here but it is no substitute for being doted on by forever owners. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the adoption of Manny and Sibley as well.
We are having our annual Open House on May 18th this year and hope to see you there! It’s a fun day to hang with the animals, other like minded folks, share food and a good time. It will be held from 11:00 to 4:00. Please join us and bring your friends!
I would also like to publicly welcome’s our newest employee, Kim Wilson who now works weekends. I get a day off!! Kim is a hard worker with a wonderful sense of humor; paramount for this job, and a great love for the animals. We are happy to have her on board!
I will do my best to get back on track with the timely writing of this newsletter.
Happy Holidays to all of our friends and supporters!
There are only a few days left for us to reach our goal-won’t you please consider a donation?
At SYALER, ALL of your donated funds go directly toward the care of the donkeys, mules, and hinnies, as they wait for their forever homes. We only have one full time paid employee, the rest of the work (and it’s a lot!) is done by a dedicated team of volunteers. Your support is essential to continue our mission!
Please consider a donation of any amount. Even $5 will buy a bale of hay, $35.00 will pay for a hoof trim, and $70 will cover a farm call by one of our wonderful veterinarians.
And now, with our fearless leader Ann Firestone out of commission with a broken leg, funds are also needed to hire temporary barn help until she gets back on her feet.
We wish you all a wonderful holiday season, and send a heartful thank you for your continued support ️
I “came of age” in the sixties; a wonderful time for all kinds of music. I am still very into music and often think of songs relating to my work. The Beatle’s classic All You Need Is Love came to mind this morning. If only that were so!
All of us committed to the animals here love them unconditionally and get that back in spades. Unfortunately love will not buy hay. Love will not pay vet bills. Love will not pay the plumber when the hydrant seizes up. We have more than enough love to go around, but not enough money.
I realize that the “we need more money” song gets really old, but it is a sad fact of running a nonprofit animal rescue. I came into this work very naïve in regards to what it really entailed. I love all animals; have since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I have fond memories from when I could not have been more than seven or so, helping my dad raise orphan squirrels. Our family had a membership to the Bronx Zoo where I could not be taken often enough. I learned a lot about many different animal species and their needs at the “backstage” visits, a perk of being a member. I learned enough to know at a young age I would someday be involved working with animals.
Fast forward to now. I am so lucky! I still love all animals and enjoy most people as well. The rescue allows me to engage with both on a daily basis. I have amazing helpers who work very hard to keep the farm looking ship shape and the animals well cared for. I am very grateful for what I do have and really dislike having to ask for more. The part I didn’t factor in at the beginning was that asking for help would become part of my job.
Please know that every penny donated is very gratefully appreciated. All of it goes toward the care of the animals and upkeep of the farm. We have one full time paid employee. Everyone else who is here on a regular basis, including myself, are not paid. We are volunteers.
I thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.
ChEARS,
Ann
p.s. — A heartfelt thank you to all who are shopping on our website as well. Your support is greatly appreciated!
In the early morning hours on Saturday, November 24th, walking through her living room Ann stepped on German Shepherd Jack’s tail which abruptly knocked her off her feet resulting in a spectacular but very damaging fall.
In extreme pain and unable to move, Jeff came to the rescue and got Ann into the car and off to the Emergency Room. Five hours, and many Xrays and CT scans later, the extent of her injuries was still unclear but a couple appointments and casts later it turns out Ann sustained a torn ligament and fibula twist fracture and could be off her feet for up to 3 months.
The accident has left our fearless leader in pain and on crutches making it challenging or impossible for her to do the simplest of living skills such as shower, dress, drive, or carry a cup of coffee to the kitchen table. Furthermore, it has a HUGE impact on the rescue since Ann typically spends a good portion of her day outside caring for the animals.
With Ann house-bound, several volunteers have stepped up to temporarily fill in with feeding, watering, grooming, mucking and generally overseeing the rescue’s current long-ear residents.
A hearty thanks to SYA volunteers Pomme, Andria Elliot, and employee Hannah Exel who have picked up the slack.
Such a setback going into winter is hard and SYALER certainly can’t expect volunteers to continue to show up every day for the next 12 weeks as the days get colder, the pathways get icy and more snow falls. We need to compensate people who are willing to work to keep the animals safe and healthy, but paying for extra barn help is a big unexpected drain on SYA’s budget.
I am therefore appealing to you today to GO to the DONATE button and consider giving whatever you can to assure we keep the farm purring while Ann heals.
Many thanks!
-Elise Paffrath
SYALER board member
p.s. This injury is a tough blow to our intrepid CEO in part because she’s being forced to accept a lot of help (not something she’s always good at), but Ann will be so grateful and relieved knowing that extra workers are being compensated through the long haul ahead.
The snow is gently falling and I am looking up from my computer to see mules eating their hay out in the pasture. It’s so peaceful and makes my heart feel very full. I am fortunate to be able to do what I do. I would not however, be able to do it without the help of our team of thoughtful and generous donors. Yeah, it’s that time of year once again, when I need to reach out to ask for help to meet our year end fund raising goal.
We had many sick animals over the course of the year, requiring numerous vet visits and a lot of prescription and non-prescription medications. We have had our two big draft mules Nellie and Luke here for a year now and they sure do put away the groceries! We are all happy to see them in excellent body condition and good behavioral health. We know the perfect home will come along for them and we are more than happy to have them here until it does.
Due to these facts we need YOU to help us now, please. Our fund raising goal for this year is $35,000. This amount will ensure a barn full of hay and plenty of grain and supplements. It will allow for routine veterinary calls as well as an emergency should one occur, and to just keep up with the day to day expenses of running a rescue; vehicle maintenance, repairs to buildings and machinery, little things, like ensuring we have a professionally cleaned porta potty for visitors! There is so much involved and like all things the prices of what is needed keeps going up.
You will be hearing from me frequently in the upcoming weeks as I ask you to please check under those couch cushions, raid the piggy bank, and do what you can to help us meet our goal. Thank you!
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
P.S. — The donkeys need YOU! The mules need YOU! Please take part in helping us reach our goal!! You can make your gift donation right now by using the donate button in the left column!!!
What a difference a day makes….waking up to snow on the ground was a surprise. The donkeys and mules were lined up so their bodies were like solar panels; all soaking in the warmth as the sun rose in the sky.
I am happy to say that in the twelve years I’ve been placing animals through the rescue, only twice have I had to reclaim animals from the home in which I had placed them. Since close to 400 animals have been placed in homes in that time frame I am able to take it in stride, though I cannot say it does not bother me greatly. Upon doing a site visit to a home which agreed to make changes necessary to provide what two draft mules would need recently, we sadly found that not only had the changes not been made, but the animals condition was not acceptable, so the decision was made to take them back. This is not a pleasant experience for either side. Although unpleasant I will do what needs to be done as I am first and foremost an advocate for the animals in my care. I will work with potential adopters by offering advice, suggestions, and even hands on help if needed, but if adopters are not going to abide by the rules and regulations stipulated in the adoption contract they sign, I will do whatever is necessary for the wellbeing of the animals. Thankfully this does not happen often as it very stressful for all involved. I am happy to say the two we brought back are doing well and are ready to be adopted.
We have quite a few animals available for adoption right now. The two draft mules who came back are a sweet bonded pair. We have several donkey pairs as well as two single mules. All of them would be very happy with a family to dote on them. I love having them here but know they will be so much happier with their own people.
I am looking forward to attending my sixth annual Donkey Welfare Symposium at UC Davis Vet School next weekend. I love the opportunity to be around like minded people who want to learn how to best care for their animals. The chance to learn from veterinarians, equine dentists, farriers, behaviorists many of whom work in third world countries on the donkeys there is an amazing experience. It’s a blast to hook up with friends whom I see only at this venue, once a year. I will get home and have a couple of weeks to prepare for Equine Affaire which is another fun gig to look forward to and at which I hope to see a lot of you.
The water heaters have been pulled out of storage and electric tea pots at the ready for preparing hot mashes as the weather changes. I hope all of you and your long eared buddies are having a wonderful fall and that the winter will be kind to us all.
These two donkeys are simply adorable and at first glance they look very happy and well cared for. They came from a hoarding situation. SYA has been able to help their owner by taking in donkeys from her as she was emotionally able to part with them over the last five years or so. There is no doubt that she loved them all dearly. The woman is in her eighties and in poor health. I am not sure of how long it’s been since she has been able to go outside as she is wheelchair bound, let alone to do anything with or for the donkeys. These two beautiful cousins had been living in a filthy barn/stall/paddock area. Their manure had not been cleaned in years. The only water they had available to them was about six inches of green, thick scummy soup, and full of rotting leaves. Their hooves look ok in this picture, but several have major flares, and one has part of a hoof wall missing. In fairness to their owner, she did have someone in to “care” for the donkeys but was obviously unable to check and see how the donkeys were faring.
As is often the case with donkeys it seems, rather than being too thin, they are very overweight. They both have fat pones on their necks and flanks. Obesity in donkeys is something we see more often than underweight animals, and is in my opinion, a form of neglect. Donkeys are NOT little horses with big ears. They are a species that has evolved very successfully over a very long period of history getting by on very little forage, of often fairly poor nutritional value, that they had to walk over miles of stony, rocky, hard ground to reach. We plop them down in rich, grassy pastures and are then surprised when they develop hoof and other health issues.
I would rather take in animals that are too thin as it is so much easier to put fat on to a donkey than to take it off. A fat donkey is not a healthy donkey. I recommend a dry lot for all donkeys for at least part of a 24 hour period. They do need to graze for their behavioral needs to be properly met, but their grazing time needs to be supervised. Please be aware that allowing a donkey to become obese is shortening their overall life span and can, and often does lead to a myriad of other health related issues.
I am very happy that we are able to take in animals like these and get them on a regulated feeding program and an exercise plan that will help them slowly lose some excess pounds. A great way to help us do this is to join our Take a Long Ear to Lunch program. This enables you to make an on-going monthly donation to SYALER. All of our money to run the rescue comes via adoption fees, merchandise sales, and donations. The grants available for donkey rescue are very specific and we do not qualify for many. Any grant writers out there who want to donate their time and expertise would be more than welcome! Your monthly gift of any amount goes right into our operating cost fund and helps with everything from buying hay, supplements, equipment, to veterinary and farrier costs. Knowing we can count on a certain amount each month is a very comforting. To become a member of the program use the following link for complete details. Take a Long Ear to Lunch!
Summer will be winding down soon and I am looking forward to crisp, fall days already. We have a lot of fun things coming up. Our annual Benefit show will be held at Millot Green, Alstead, NH on Saturday, October 13th. A week after that I will be heading out to U.C. Davis Vet School for yet another Donkey Welfare Symposium. I am looking forward to that as it is always a wonderful chance to meet up with donkey friends I only see once a year at this event, and to learn more about how to give the best care possible to the animals we take in to the rescue. November brings Equine Affaire which is always a fun, if not exhausting gig. We are working on a couple of ideas for seminars/workshops at the rescue. We’ll keep you posted on those.
I hope to see you out and about at our upcoming events.
It’s hard to believe that July is nearly over. Time flies!
I’m happy to report that adoptions have FINALLY started picking up. It was slow going for a while. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when an animal will be chosen. I am pretty fussy about where the animals go and will not adopt out a singleton donkey unless they will be going to a home with an existing donkey. I will not adopt donkeys or mules to be used as guardian’s so I am sure both of those policies eliminate a fair number of potential adopters.
Our little Esme’ went to her new home this last week as did Zelda and Sassy. John Henry, our big, beautiful clown of a mule has found a SUPER home with a donkey and a horse as companions. Luke & Nelly and Oliver & Nellie have moved to their new homes recently too. Hope and Ivy’s new home is almost ready for them.
Our annual calendar photo contest has begun!
Submit your photos of your favorite Long Ears for the 2019 Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue Calendar Photo Contest!
New for 2019–No entry fee! You may submit three photos per email address, free of charge, but if you can, please consider donating a bale of hay –only $5.00– to our longear friends at the rescue when you submit your entries. Entries close August 20.
Click here for Entry requirements and instructions.
All photos that fit the requirements for content, quality, and size will be included in the calendar, and the favorites of our volunteer judges will win the coveted month and cover locations!
We can’t wait to see your best shots of your long ear friends! We hope to have the calendar available at our annual show, which will be held on October 13th at the usual spot, Millot Green in Alstead, NH.
Volunteerism takes on many forms. I am very grateful to friend, and volunteer Andria Elliot for being my travel buddy on transport missions. I do not feel safe transporting alone, “just in case”. It’s great to have a co-pilot to help spot wildlife crossing, work with GPS, and generally oversee my driving! We are on the same drink coffee, find restroom schedule, so it works out great!
Mike Dunham deserves another shout out as well as he continues to work patiently with the animals, teaching them new skills to make them more adoptable. I would be remiss to leave Hannah Exel out of my thanks as she has been studying hard and has become such a wonderful trainer. I am so proud of her and the work she is doing. SYA is so lucky to have her. Annie Kellam is still spoiling the animals rotten…thankfully! I am grateful to all who help.
If anyone locally wants to help out we sure could use help with “manure management” a few days a week. Yeah, I mean scooping poop! It’s really quite contemplative work and gives one a bit of a work out! If you are interested please contact hannahexel@icloud.com if you would like to help.
A huge thank you to all who are members of our Take A Long Ear to Lunch program. Your support is so very important and helps us enormously. We are grateful!!!
Enjoy the duration of the sauna like conditions and remember to hug your long ears…
Well, May certainly flew right by! Thank you to all who attended our Open House. We had a great day weather wise and had a great turn out. It was wonderful to see old friends and to make new ones. The adoption of two donkeys resulted from the day! Our friends Jessica, Larkin, Emerson, and Nicole from Empowered Equestrians did their usual FABULOUS job of introducing people to the joys and power of training using positive reinforcement.
It’s hard to believe that we are more than half way through June already. It seems like little Sassy was just born but she is on her way to her three month birthday. She gets cuter and sassier by the day. I am surprised that she and her mom have not yet been adopted. They will make a great addition to someone’s barn yard.
Sassy
We have a lot of animals available for adoption right now. Having bonded pairs makes it more difficult to place animals but we do what is best for the animals and a singleton donkey is not a happy camper. Donkeys need another donkey as a buddy for their behavioral and social needs to be properly met. For that reason we only adopt out donkeys in pairs unless it is to a home that already has a donkey. Yes, many donkeys live with goats or horses as companions, but there are published studies validating the fact that when given the choice donkeys will choose another donkey as their companion.
We also do not adopt out donkeys to be used as guardians. I get a lot of “yeah buts” on this one. Yes, sometimes it can work with the larger donkeys. Most often it does not. I once took in a donkey jennet that had been a guardian to a herd of goats for 17 years. She was with the kids when they were born every year. The year I took her in she had killed all the kids that were born that season. Why? Who knows? I have heard stories like this repeatedly and have taken in other donkeys due to similar, though not on such a large scale, situations. Thinking of using a mini donkey as a protector is just silly. I have seen donkeys horribly wounded by a single dog. Those of you who know me, know that I will always do what is best for the animals in my care. If some folks don’t like my rules, or me for enforcing them, I’m ok with that.
I would like to officially welcome Meg Dionne to “Team SYA”. Meg does an unbelievable job of cleaning up after these manure making animals. When she is done cleaning a paddock it looks as if it has been vacuumed!!! She is awesome, has a wonderful sense of humor and if I dare say, is just a bubble off plumb, so she fits in perfectly! We love her!
I would be remiss if I did not mention how thankful I am to Mike Dunham, Annie Kellam, Andria Elliot, and of course my right hand gal Hannah. I could not do this without them. I am also, as always, deeply grateful to those who donate so generously to make sure we are able to give the best possible care to the donkeys and mules we take in to the rescue.
Get outside. Hug your long ears, and enjoy these lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!
Spring is almost here, and despite the mud and melting snow, the birds are starting to sing and the days are getting longer, and best of all, the folks at SYALER are offering up their sure cure for Cabin Fever-the 2018 Online Facebook Auction!
Don’t miss out on the fun! Here’s your chance to bid on a wonderful assortment of goods and services and support the mules and donkeys at SYALER at the same time. The bidding will open at approximately 7:00 PM on Sunday March 11, and will end exactly on Sunday March 18 at 9:00 PM on the auction’s Facebook page:
This auction page won’t go live until Saturday evening on March 11, but we will be posting previews and bidding instructions this week on the SYALER Facebook page and website:
I don’t know about you folks but January presented enough challenges to do me just fine for the rest of the winter. I am enjoying looking out at the falling snow as I write this, but enough already with the ice and subzero temperatures. It’s wonderful having the light changing and lasting longer day by day. I need the encouragement from Mother Nature!
We have a lot to look forward to at Save Your Ass…the birth of Zelda’s foal for one thing. No, she has still not had it! We have no idea of when she was bred, but to the best of our knowledge her baby “should” come this month. I sleep with my iPad under my pillow so every time she moves the barn camera sends me a message letting me know. No, I haven’t been getting much sleep for the last month or so, but hopefully I will be aware of the foaling when the time does finally come. We are still accepting name suggestions in our “Help Zelda Name Her Foal!!” contest…
For each $5. donation to SYA, please make a name suggestion. We will keep the boy’s names and gril’s names separate and after birth Zelda will pull an entry from whichever collection is appropriate. If your name suggestion is chosen, Zelda will be sending you a plush “Borden” from our merchandise herd.
If you choose to make your donation by check, please note your name suggestion in the memo field and mail the check to:
Ann Firestone
Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue
Broomtail Farm 23 Saw Mill Road
South Acworth, NH 03607
If you choose to make your donation by PayPal, use our donate button below, and just note your name suggestion in the comments area.
Zelda thanks you in advance for your participation!!
Annie & Zelda
We are excited to announce that the 2018 Cabin Fever online auction is scheduled for the end of March, dates to be announced soon!
Would you please consider supporting the rescue with a donation of an item or service? Past donations (which do not have to be donkey or animal related) have included gift certificates of all kinds, antiques, hand-made items, vacations, food, farm produce, jewelry, books, art, animal training, musical instruments, tack, and much more. They all add to the fun and excitement of the bidding, and the proceeds help to cover the rehabilitation, medical, and nutritional needs of the mules and donkeys that are in our care. The value of your donation plus shipping costs is tax deductible, and we will send a receipt for your tax records.
If you are interested in donating an auction item or service this year–thank you! All you need to do is send us the following info by March 5, to syaauction2018@gmail.com
1. Item Name
2. Item Description
3. Photo or logo
4. Link to URL, if you’d like.
5. Value (include estimated shipping, please)
6. Suggested Starting Price
7. Contact information
We ask that you be willing to ship your item to the winning bidder.
If you have any questions you can also call Joan at 413-559-8414.
Thank you so very much for your support of our auction and the SYA rescue!
We all need something to look forward to in order to keep our wits about us while making it through the winter so mark your calendars for the auction and our Clicker Training Clinic with Jessica Gonzalez of Empowered Equines on April 14th, rain date April 15th. This promises to be a great day. See more info on SYA’s facebook page and on the website. Please send me an email to register:awfirestone@gmail.com
Please keep the up-dates on the animals you have adopted coming, as well as photos and testimonials. I love hearing from you all.
