Update of Sig

First of all, THANK YOU to all who have answered our call for prayers and donations for Sig, the response has been just so wonderful and we have received donations for Sig and all the equine at the ranch which is such a tremendous help.  

Sig is doing better as each day goes by.  His appetite has picked up and his snarky attitude is starting to return which are all good signs he is on the mend.  But he is not out of the woods yet.  He still coughs but not as much and still has opaque drainage from his nose but not as frequent as before.  

He finished his doses of Excede and today we started him on a round of Uniprim based on the lab results from the culture sent in last week.  I may also put him on an expectorant help with the phlegm. We are very glad we did the culture because the results were not as expected.  The pneumonia he has is from an uncommon bacteria and we can't rule out that it could have been caused by the dental issue we have been dealing with, periodontitis, the infection in his gums causing his canine teeth to be loose. We will continue to treat the pneumonia and treatment for his periodontitis over the next several weeks. 

Additionally concerned about lungworms we have given him a dose of Moxidectin (Quest) since he has already been treated twice with Ivermectin.  I was surprised to find this in his stall this morning and likewise happy that we gave him the addition treatment which is eliminating more worms from his system.   You can see the small white deceased worms being eliminated in his manure.   I know the picture is gross, but hey, this is a learning process for us all.  We usually do Moxidectin once a year because it will treat tapeworms and Ivermectin doesn't, so we will get them all the equine a dose of it soon too.  I costs quite a bit more than Ivermectin, but with the recent donations I can get enough for all 22 on-site. 

I am happy with how his recovery is coming so far.  I am tearfully joyful that you have helped us so very, very much.   This is such a huge team effort and we all can play a part.  Thank you, thank you so much for being part of the team the cares for these donkeys and horses in need.  

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!  

Christine

Sig has pneumonia - our tiny old donkey.

Poor old Sig is suffering from pneumonia

Only 34 inches tall and 300 pounds our elderly miniature donkey is feeling really lousy in this summer heat with pneumonia. This sweet guy is 22 years old and was so feisty on arrival. Underweight with a dull coat, covered in mud up to his belly and feet in need of trimming, he got a deep cleaning after his arrival in June and we started his rehab.  

He needed some immediate dental care because his canine teeth were completely hidden under years of calculus and tarter. So much that both his lower canines were loose and the gum tissue surrounding them red with infection. I cleaned them thoroughly and we put him on a round a antibiotics in hopes that the gum tissue with reattach to the teeth. More work is needed.

Recently I noticed him a little moody and the other day noticed him coughing. Taking his vitals it seemed pneumonia was probably the cause.  All the vets were booked, but Dr. C squeezed him in so we hauled him to her clinic 70 miles away and confirmed his illness. A culture has been sent off to the lab and we should have results sometime next week. In the meantime, she started him on an antibiotic called Excede which requires two shots 4 days apart and depending on the results of the culture we may need to do a second round with a different drug. 

We love this old guy that no one wanted to adopt.  At 22 and a bit of a pistol, I named him Sig after my Sig Sauer Mosquito (22 caliber pistol).  He now comes to his name and if let loose will follow me around the barn while I am doing chores.  Why someone dumped him at a killbuyer we will never know, but I suspect they just wanted to get rid of him because he is old. 

Not feeling well now he just walks up to me and puts his head against my chest and wants some TLC. Breaks my heart to see him feeling so bad even though I am doing all I can to keep him comfortable. Our 100 degree days this past week certainly haven't helped.  Luckily it will be in the 80's next week. 

Help is needed to cover his health care expenses.  In addition to the meds he had for his prior dental care ($30), trip to the vet ($50), vet care ($35.70), tests ($144) and current meds (74.08), possibly another round of meds and he will need more dental work when he recovers from the pneumonia. Dr C has generously given us a discount. Our goal is to raise $500. 

If you can help with a tax-deductible donation of any amount so we can get him well again it will be a huge relief. Being older, the vet says his prognosis is guarded, so we want to do all we can to give him a few more happy years.  He deserves that after the rough life he has had. 

Donation can be made with a credit card by clicking this link:

Checks can be mailed to EqWBR, 8369 Buckskin Trail, Snowflake, AZ  85937.

We have been very frugal and it has been many months since we have asked for funds but we really need your help now and appreciate it more than you will know.  Please say a prayer for his recovery.

Many blessings to you all!
Christine

Moving Day 7-22-16

14 of the Naco 20 donkeys head to their new digs 7-22-16.

The Naco 20 donkeys have been relaxing in their large pasture here since the first part of May. During that time we have sure gotten to know them well.   Now that they are ready for castrating and adoptions, we will be keeping a total of six (donkeys numbered 4-9) and the rest we are transporting to Healing Hearts Animal Rescue and Refuge in New River, AZ, where they will be closer to people in the Phoenix metro, Prescott and Flagstaff areas making adoptions easier.

We are very exited that HHARR has offered to be part of the large, multi-rescue effort saving and caring for these sweet guys.

Today was a busy day with volunteers, Patty, Betty and Diane who helped me to put numbers on all the donkeys (for the 3rd time since their arrival) which is quite a task looking at the original numbered photos and matching them up again with the donkeys.  We had a lot of fun doing it and the donkeys loved the attention.

Big thanks to the Coyle family for offering the use of their trailer so along with ours, we can fit the 14 donkeys between the two rigs for the 460 mile round trip.

For anyone interested in adoption please contact me or Adam at HHARR via his email: awhite@healingheartsaz.org and you can also check out their Facebook and Website .

This has been such a wonderful group effort by so many.  Working together for all these wonderful donkeys!!!!

Christine

Castration Donations Needed!

March 29th, we have 12 males (11 donkeys and 1 horse) being gelded and as the old wives tale says, "raising their IQ".  As the boys say, "OUCH!"

There is more work involved in castrating donkeys then there is with horses because they tend to bleed more and we have been given discounted pricing to help get them all done by wonderful and experienced veterinarians.  Extra ligating and stitches are needed for the donkeys to ensure proper closure, reduced bleeding and better healing.  

Chancer now 9 months old

Our fundraising goal is $2500.   Dr. Kari Christianson will be castrating Avery and Chancer here at our facility in Snowflake and Dr. Mike Hutchison* will do our other 10 donkeys (part of the Naco 19*) while at our rescue partner Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary* in Green Valley where they will stay till we transport them to the Snowflake ranch hopefully April 4th.  We thank them all so much for their participation in this very important project.  

Naco 19 rescued from slaughter auction in late Feb

We really need everyone's help.  $5, $10, $20 or more, every donation will help prevent breeding and allow us to eventually adopt them out to great homes.

To donate using a credit card or via PayPal just click here:

Checks can be mailed to EqWBR, PO Box 2722, Snowflake, AZ  85937

We are a 501c3 non-profit and donations are tax-deductible.   Please help by donating and sharing this need with your friends, they may want to help too! 

Thank you all so very, very much!

Avery - 11 months old

Avery is sticking his tongue out to let you know just how he feels about the whole thing!
Christine
Founder/President
760-703-4860

* Dr, Mike Hutchison, Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary and Equine WellBeing Rescue are also on the board of directors of the Arizona Coalition for Equines.    

Article link on the NACO 19 joint rescue efforts 

Link about Donkey castration

Dunnie & Katniss need our help!

Saying, "yes", can be life changing for a family. With the pending influx of donkeys coming to the rescue in April, I have responded to many phone calls for help by networking to find homes for horses and a few times coordinated with other rescues to help.

However, a local family has been struggling for a while now and their efforts to rehome their horses simply were not successful. We all know how long-term illness can affect a family and needed changes are not always easy, especially when it comes to losing a pet family member that has been with you for more than a decade.

Meet Dunnie & Katniss.

Dunnie

Katniss

In the last few months we provided hay in exchange for some volunteer time helping feed and doing chores at the rescue while the family advertised and tried to find good homes for the horses. Those efforts were not fruitful and funds are pinched too tight, so we offered to take both mares. Many tears were shed, but knowing the horses needs will be met makes the sorrow a little easier to bear. We brought them here yesterday with the help of friends Teri and Taylor and I thank them very much for taking time out of their day to do it. 

Dunnie is a 13 year old Grullo colored mare with lameness issues in her hind end and rear hooves that have grown abnormally for many years.  Lack of funds to provide regular trims have added to that problem. Her lameness initially appeared worse than we now think it is, to the point that we even discussed humane euthanasia.  

It is a little hard to see, but she turns her legs outwards when she stands, tucks her legs underneath herself and takes very short steps when she walks. Her hooves grow with an outward angle, were over long and flared. She has only been ridden bareback over the years and at age 13, a non-rideable, lame horse is very difficult to find a home for.  We have our work cut out for us.

Luckily we were able to get the farrier over here yesterday and immediately started to address her feet. She had deep thrush in all four feet, some dried blood indicating possible mild founder in the last year, deep soles that were like plastic and her heels have collapsed. This abnormal growth causes her awkward stance and pain. We put her on a 4 week schedule for consistent correction in hopes that her muscular-skeletal system can reset itself as the feet are corrected and she will no longer be lame.

Hoof rehab can take quite a long time and we definitely want to give her that chance. As a yearling she was saved from a hoarding situation at a local ranch that had hundreds of horses they could no longer feed. A huge percentage of those horses perished, but she was one of the lucky ones to survive. She had a rough start to life, a recent bump in the road due to family health issues and now her well-being is in our hands. 

In addition to the immediate hoof care, we started her on herbs and supplements to help deal with any pain issues, and to help rebuild healthy feet.  We used essential oils yesterday and found her responsive so we will continue their use too. Good diet, supplements, herbs, oils and TLC should all help her through this recovery.   

We are looking for monthly sponsors for her feed and care. $20 a month will cover her herbs, $20 a month will cover her supplements (Enrich Plus), $30 a month will cover her hoof trims, $100 for hay and general care. If you can help with a monthly donation, it can be done by clicking this link for PayPal and checking the "recurring (monthly)" box or sending a check each month.  Some financial institutions will allow people to set up recurring payments and they will send a check directly to us in the mail.  Both are great ways to help. Truly any donation is greatly appreciated. 

Her pasture mate, Katniss is a cute 4 year old paint mare that came off the Navajo reservation last year. Katniss has a little training and would be considered very green broke. Our friend Teri is going to assess her and provide the appropriate training for her age so and provide her health care needs. She loaded in the trailer with no fuss and did great for the farrier too.  With Teri and Taylor's help she has a very bright future ahead.

I had a tearful conversation with their prior owner this afternoon when she called to thank us for helping their family in this time of need. It had come to a point of putting food on their table or feeding the horses and as much as they are heartbroken they could no longer keep them, they are relieved to know they are in good hands.

We will keep everyone up to date on their progress and thank you all for your continued support and donations. Without your help we simply couldn't help families in need and believe me helping Dunnie and Katniss is life-changing for both the horses and their former family.

Thank you, thank yo, so very much!

Christine
Founder & President

Mini & Small donkeys need homes!

Who couldn't love a face like that?

Equine WellBeing Rescue in Snowflake, AZ will receive at least 10 mini jennets (females) the end of March saved from a bad hoarding situation in TX.  Poor innocents will need homes.  We will be gentling these previously unhandled donkeys before adoption and through that process will be able to determine their personalities to match with the right adopter. Details on how to adopt are at the bottom of this post. There is a likelihood they maybe in foal so homes with equine experience will be needed. Huge thanks to Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue for saving their lives, undertaking this huge endeavor and letting us help in the process.
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Standard donkeys needing loving homes.


Called the "Naco 19", these sweet, sweet male donkeys were saved from going to slaughter on Feb. 25th when several rescues and donors networked together to save them all. They are all gentle, most were wearing halters and had been trained to follow each other tied tail to halter of the following donkey to make a string of donkeys. 10 of them will be coming to EqWBR in April and will be available for adoption. In the meantime they are all getting vetted and castrated.  If you are interested in adopting please see the instructions at the bottom.    Click to read the news article about the Naco 19
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Saved from TX killpens - Mini and Standard donkeys need forever homes. 


Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue headed the effort to save dozens of mini and standard donkeys from being put on slaughter bound trucks to Mexico. These are but a few of the many, many donkeys that need homes.  EqWBR will be receiving 9, possibly more in early April and want to find them loving forever homes.  Aren't they so very, very cute. Both jennies (females) and johns (gelded males) will be available.  Assessments will be done on arrival to ensure the right fit of donkey to adopter.

TO ADOPT A DONKEY FROM EqWBR please send us an email message at Christine@EquineWellBeing.Com.   We will be processing applications and approving adopters prior to their arrival so contact us asap.    While small and cute, these are still donkeys and not toys and need to be respected as such.

Adoption fee $150-$400.

Old Fashioned Barn Raising Sat. Feb 27th

Volunteers are needed to help us construct the new donkey and equipment shelters (carports) as we expand the donkey enclosure to give them more room.   The donkey shelter is designed similar to this photo. 

A lot of prep work has been done.   Grading to move the quarantine pen, pipe panel storage, and leveling the ground for both the carports. 

Supplies purchased to anchor the structures and make the side and end walls, and the fencing supplies to increase their pasture to over an acre.  We assembled the large structure and anchored it and will have the smaller one anchored by Sat. 

We need help installing the metal sides and roof and replacing some of the fencing with new insulators and poly rope and some other simple spring clean up.   

Sat. Feb. 27th at 9am - till we are done. 

Mild chili for lunch being provided by Beth Williams Realty, a long time supporter and the lady who helped us find this ranch for the rescue.   We will have water, iced tea and soda. Vehar's are bringing Jalapeno Cheese Bread and Bruner's corn bread, if you want to bring some treat to share we will never turn it down. 

Bring your cordless drill if you have one (charge your battery) we have magnetic nut drivers to fit the self tapping screws for you to use. 

If one or two people have a tall ladder to bring (8-10ft) that would be a help.

Bring work gloves or some form of hand protection, and a lawn chair to sit and enjoy your lunch or to take a break.

We would like to thank Rossco for his donation of 30 t-posts and the Bruner family for donating a pallet of concrete for all the anchors and posts.  If you cannot attend, but would like to donated to the cause it is greatly appreciated and very needed.  Just click this link:  I want to help with a Donation  

If you can attend, please rsvp to this email so we have a head count for lunch and let us know if you have a cordless drill and/or ladder that you can bring.  If you have any questions, please call 760-703-4860.    

Location:  8369 Buckskin Trail, Snowflake, AZ.      Date: Sat. Feb 27th     Time: 9am we will start, but we appreciate anytime that you can stop by and help. 

We appreciate everyone's help and donations SO VERY MUCH!!!!

Thank you,