March 2012 Update!
Dumping and her horse brother Boh! Though you might like to see a current pic of her. She is doing great. We love her very very much!! Thanks, Leslie Hines
My daughter's boyfriend, Kyle, wanted to fulfill her dream of getting a donkey so he contacted Ann at Save Your Ass (love the name!) rescue. Ann was incredibly responsive and helpful in her emails.
The home inspection person who came to my house, Mary Ann was equally responsive and helpful. Kyle and I went up to meet Ann and the donkey we were interested in, Dumpling. What a special place! A cozy house surrounded by animals-my idea of heaven! It was clear how much the donks meant to Ann and how well-cared for and loved they were. We spent an entertaining morning with Ann and her menagerie and got to meet our sweet girl, Dumpling.
Dumpling had a rough start in life, though much is not exactly known about her. She was acquired by Save Your Ass at an auction and was horribly overweight. In the care of Ann, she lost about 50 pounds.Dumpling is a quiet, shy donkey who, as Ann says, does not have a mean bone in her body. We have two horses that she hangs out with. She responds to our daily brushings and treats of carrots and apples. While still shy, I know that with lots of one on one and love and time, she will blossom. Save Your Ass is a wonderful organization and we are so glad to have found Dumpling.
Leslie
Dumpling was actually a gift to me from my boyfriend, who went out and found the Save an Ass foundation after I had revealed to him that my dream of owning a donkey. I always thought they were so adorable and different. Well, that dream came true for me when I walked into my barn one night to find our little Dumpling munching away on some hay. She has been a wonderful addition to our family-we absolutely love her. Even her broken crest (as a result of her weight issue before Save Your Ass found her) fits in with the "special needs" animals we have at our house. Dumpling, or "Dump" as we have come to call her, definitely shows us her classic donkey stubbornness or, but also her gentleness and sweetness. She loves hanging out with our other two horses, and doesn't mind being the "new kids on the block." I love watching her roll around and try and throw some little bucks playing in the paddock. She is an absolute angel and we love her!
Emma
August 2010 Update:
Dumpling has been with us for a year and a half now and I think I assumed that she would get a bit more comfortable after a few months with us and then that it would sort of level off. She was a very shy donkey when you had her due to her past life and I figured she would get a bit better here with one and one attention, but after that, I figured she would plateau in her level of comfort. That has not been the case with Dumpling. She continues to grow more comfortable and to come into her own here in CT. It is a very very slow process but I do see continued growth and continued levels of comfort.
She gets special treatment that her horse siblings do not get. In the afternoon when we bring them in from the big paddock for dinner, the horses are kept in their stalls until they finish dinner, but Dumpling is allowed to roam from her stall out the the small paddock. She seems to enjoy this privilege and is the queen until the siblings finish eating and then they all join together. We love her and think she is very sweet and beautiful and also very comical in her own way. Even our vet commented on her beauty and we consider that a real complement.
I am a softie for her and have given her a few too many carrots so I have cut back and her weight has responded accordingly She is hard to resist! We love her and are so grateful to Save Your Ass.
Leslie
