Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue was incorporated as a 501-(c)(3), non-profit organization in 2007. We are dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing of donkeys and mules in need. By providing educational opportunities that increase awareness of the human/animal bond as well as the specific needs of long ears, SYA is able to improve the lives of donkeys and mules everywhere.
The rescue is located at the home of Ann and Jeff Firestone in Acworth, NH. The rescue has no "official" hours, but welcomes visitors BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! An appointment can be made by calling the rescue: 603-835-2971. Please respect Ann and Jeff's privacy by calling ahead for an appointment. Thank you.
We receive many emails from people asking us to save animals that are either personally owned, at a broker or auction house. We want to make sure everyone is aware of how our rescue works. Although we would LOVE to save every mule and donkey in need, the reality is we can't. We DO NOT buy animals from individuals. If anyone wants to buy an animal they consider in need and surrender it to the rescue, if it meets our criteria (no jacks) and we have room we will be happy to take it in and find it a new home. Purchaser must be responsible for transport to rescue as well. Surrender forms are available on our website or you can email us and we can email or snail mail you one.
Thank you!
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News Flash!
E.B., for Easter Bunny, born Sunday morning at Sya Long Ear Rescue, to mammoth donkey Paloma, who arrived from the feedlot on a cold, snowy night this winter. Mama and baby are doing fantastic! Click here for more adorable pictures! |
Check out our testimonial page for the latest news on Ralph and Ruthie!
...I just wanted to thank you from all of us here at GC, for the incredible work you do with these animals. The transformation we have been witnessing with Ralph says it all…
Samantha Hough |
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Whoo Hooo! After whining on FaceBook about how old and tired I felt, and how grateful I would be for a tractor, my amazing FB friends have stepped up to the plate once again and suggested I start "Ann's Tractor Fund". Well....here she is!!!! Thank you everyone!! Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue has the best friends ever!!! 
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Save Your Ass Rescue is one of the featured sanctuaries in this wonderful new book
Horse Sanctuary! 
Please go to our merchandise page to purchase! Check out the press release. Also, a note from Alison: I want to express, again, my sincere gratitude for your participation in this project. It's been a dream come true but more important I learned so much about your work and the reasons why it's important. I can't tell you how many times in the past two years I've had a chance to talk to someone about PMU mares, nurse mare farms, the plight of mustangs, the fate of retired race and sport horses, and the under-appreciated attributes of donkeys. I hope that my experience is replicated thousands of times over as more people become aware of these issues through the book. I hope that your work is not only recognized by a larger audience, but also supported. I hope that it helps to alleviate some of the suffering in this world. I've created a promotional video of the book that is uploaded on youtube. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e33YKhYNu2E Please feel free to share with your volunteers and supporters, and post on your social media outlets. Again, thank you for what you do. I hope to see you in the coming year. From my heart, Allison |
Click here if you are interested in Marnie's commissioned poetry - www.commissionedpoetry.com/ or visit Fenway's blog at www.braysofourlives.com
Take a Long Ear to Lunch - Sponsorship Program Please consider our new sponsorship program which enables you to sponsor a donkey or mule for as little as $10 a month. Your generosity can make a huge impact on the life of an animal. Your consistent donation every month will help feed and care for a donkey or mule in the rescue. All of our animals are examined by a veterinarian upon intake, they are vaccinated, have blood drawn to ensure a negative coggins and are given any medical care they might need. All the animals have their hooves trimmed every seven weeks and are dewormed as needed. They are all fed according to their needs and are given supplements to make sure their vitamin and mineral needs are addressed. All of this costs money which is why we are offering not only the ten dollar a month level of sponsorship but $15, $20, $25 and $50. |
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We have lots of great stuff for sale and wonderful gift ideas. Treat yourself and your friends while helping our long ears! |
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Ann tells the cop "Kiss My Ass"
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A day at the beach for Gertie!
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I adopted an elderly pony mule in March of 2010. I named her Anna Mule. She had been passed around some before I brought her to my house. At one point in her life she had a partner and they drove around the country side pulling a cart. Her partner was mistaken for a deer during hunting season and was killed. I don’t know if Anna saw this happen, but I do know that she was given away more than once after her team mate died.
When I brought Anna home her feet were long, her hair was coarse and her ribs were showing. I had the vet come soon after I had her and we discovered that her teeth were so long she had created ulcers in her mouth. I had wondered why she chewed so differently from my other horses. She stood like a trooper while he filed them down. We did not need to sedate her for the work to be done. I wormed her and had her feet trimmed. For all of this she was fantastic. She never gave me any trouble.
I had purchased a harness for her and was waiting for my father in law to finish fixing up an old cart. I was so excited to have a good driving mule. While we waited for the cart I hooked her to my stoneboat a couple of times and had her move some hay and help me clear some brush. She was just as I expected very good at this work. We went for long walks in the woods, she crossed streams, climbed over wood piles, and she seemed fearless of all I asked of her.
Before the cart was finished it was time for spring shots for everybody. We did the two minis that she lives with first and then the vet went to give her a shot. I was not really paying attention as she had been so good for all her other treatments I thought this would be easy too. When she felt the needle go into her for her coggins, she went straight up in the air and then spun around and took off with me dragging behind. Somehow my vet was able to get enough blood drawn for the coggins. We then tried to give her a rabies shot.
She was so fast it was amazing. We tried with two people holding her, with her in the stall, out of the stall, but she could get away from us every time. Then I made my fatal mistake in our relationship. I let my vet talk me into using a lip twitch on her. It did not work; she struggled so hard she got out of that and my friendship with her ended on the spot.
At first she was just hard to catch, I could not get near her face with anything. Then I could not even go up to her to pet her sides. Then she would not even stand near me when I was with the other horses. This created huge problems when it came time for worming, hoof trimming and vet visits. She has really bad Uveitis in both eyes and on sunny days I like to put a fly mask on her for comfort. That was impossible, which meant her eyes would get runny and be very sore. She is now almost completely blind in both eyes.
I have read every mule training book I could find. I followed Steve Edwards around at the Equine Affair in Springfield MA, hoping to get some glimmer of hope that I could win my friend back. I spent time with Buck Wheeler at Horse Progress Days in Indiana hoping that his gadget the Stabilizer would do the trick. Nothing I did worked. She got so bad that the only way I could catch her was to chase her into the small stall and then get a rope around her neck. Then one day I could not even do that. I knew I had to try something new.
I found a clicker that we had in the house for the dogs. I never did use it to train my dog, turned out he was afraid of the noise, but I thought I would give it a try.
I went out in the morning and rather then put her feed in her dish I put it in a pouch on my hip and worked on getting her to know that the click noise meant she was about to get food. At first I would just click and treat, click and treat. Once she was comfortable with that I would touch her on the neck and click and treat. I worked up to doing that on both sides. I could not touch her face and I could go no further than her withers. By the third day I could put her fly mask on. By the 5th day I could put her halter on.
Every day we start with the clicker and some food. She will now let me clean her feet with her just ground tied. I can walk around her in both directions; I can brush her with my hand all over her body; I can lift her feet and hand them to the farrier and she will stand while he trims them, she will not let him pick them up on his own. And most importantly I can stroke her nose. I know in the world where mules are being used for dressage and combined driving and hunting elk in the wilderness this does not sound like much, but when you lose the complete trust of your mule it is these little steps that make it all seem like maybe just maybe we can get back to putting the harness on and hooking her to a cart again.
Jean Nichols Cross
