Where do donkeys go when they've been neglected, mistreated, or no longer wanted? Luckily there are non-profit rescue organizations that are able to take these animals in and care for them either for life, or until they've been adopted into their own homes. Holyland Donkey Haven in Mt. Calvery, WI is one such place, and this semester's group of Critter Club members was lucky enough to be able to visit there last Sunday on our regular semester field trip.
Donkey Haven founder, Angela Langoski could not have been more welcoming to our group as she explained about how she started rescuing donkeys and created a sanctuary.
We heard personal stories about some of the donkeys -- both sad stories about their past, and happy stories about how they went to their loving new homes.
Much like HAWS, Donkey Haven is a private non-profit that relies on donations and volunteers to care for the animals and ensure that they will always have a safe place to live. Critter Club members all fell in love with these wonderful animals and were astounded at how affectionate, gentle and playful they could be. We all laughed to see them rolling around on their backs in the dirt, and moved out of the way when they got a bit frisky.
There were a lot of requests to take one home, but unfortunately getting one on the school bus would have been a logistical problem. We reluctantly left the donkeys behind with promises to visit again.
