My first encounter with a herd of burros took place on a cold, windy winter day in Washington state. The green, gently rolling hills were covered with cedar, fir, and hemlock, as well as salal, and the lush foliage extended out thirty acres on the property owned by their caretaker, Paige. It was donkey heaven.

“They love to eat all of it,” Paige said. “They’re vegetarian browsers, and they’ll eat shrubs, grass, sticks, and rotten wood. I can smell the aroma of fir trees on their breath sometimes when I get close.”

I arrived with a bag full of carrots, and the excited animals pressed forward against the railing in the barn to get one, leaving the more shy members of the herd behind. Even the elderly ranch dog loved carrots, posturing to get a few for himself. However, I did manage to save some for our individual donkey sessions, as I was sure the animals I would be reading would be shy and reluctant, most likely needing a bit of coaxing.

Donkey Expert

Paige is one of a handful of authorities on donkeys. In 1990 she established the first abuse rescue group for them in Washington state and is very knowledgeable about the animal’s temperament, health, mistreatment, history, and veterinary care. She also, luckily, found her perfect assistant in Kay, who had recently bailed out of the corporate grind to fulfill her passion for animals on a horse ranch.

Paige was conscientious about the needs of her beloved herd, both physically and psychologically. She was most interested in getting more information on the peculiar behaviors of about half a dozen of these magnificent animals, so she and Kay brought each of the donkeys she wanted me to communicate with into the barn one at a time.

The Main Client

Tillie, the donkey Paige was most concerned about, was scheduled to go first. It took some doing to round her up and herd her into the barn. She was extremely nervous about being singled out. Not only did I get a profound sense of the jitters in Tillie, but her eyes also told the truth of her state of mind as they darted from human to exit door: She was poised to turn around and bolt at any minute.

Tillie wanted to know right away what we wanted with her, so I imagined her surrounded by a calming green energy and explained that I just wanted to talk. Pressing against a wall, I turned myself sideways so she could see me better. I also let her know I would not touch her unless she gave me permission.

Her favorite handler, the kind and gentle Kay, along with her owner and caretaker, Paige, were also there, which gave Tillie some comfort. She was just beginning to trust them, and now they were introducing another complete stranger to her. While reserving judgment about why I was really there, Tillie soon opened up to me. She had a lot to say.

“I’m not sure where I belong. Is this my permanent home?” she asked me.

-Tillie the Donkey

Foster care Donkey

Sending me a feeling of having been moved around a lot, her message was one of being unwanted. She showed me a picture of being owned by an older man who continually grumbled about having to take care of an animal he didn’t want, and of overheard conversations that let her know he wanted to get rid of her.

I felt that this lack of love and care had been her experience more than once. I also told Paige that with her previous owners, Tillie could not count on being fed or watered. Meals were intermittent. To make matters worse, the donkey’s low self-esteem was causing the other members of the herd to pick on her. As a result of moving around, she wasn’t sure whether she could settle in with them and become a real member of the group.

Paige wanted me to tell Tillie that she didn’t have to perform any particular service in order to be loved and cared for.

“What does Tillie need to feel more comfortable here?” she asked.

The message came back loud and clear.

“Time,” I said.

Sweet Validation

These messages were validated in a follow-up phone call two days later as Paige told me that Tillie had been rescued from a farm in Ohio. That’s where an elderly man had a large herd. Their only water came from an irrigation ditch, and it wasn’t good water.
The man fed the animals only occasionally.

But now, Tillie had made it to donkey heaven. She was cherished and cared for and herd life was everything it was meant to be.