Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge Society reopens to public with new programs – Okanagan
The hooved residents on the Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge Society haven’t been petted by the general public in additional than two years.
Now the Chase, B.C. Society is reopening to the general public.
“We’ve obtained some actually good applications in place this yr as a result of all of us are nonetheless occupied with COVID,” mentioned Shirley Mainprize, Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge Society co-founder.
The refuge is open to the general public on weekends, has personal bookings on Tuesdays, is providing seniors applications, guided excursions and extra. To satisfy individuals of their consolation zone whereas studying about and bond with the 105 donkeys in it’s care. The founders of the rescue say donkeys are misunderstood animals.
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“When you’ve donkeys which are of their senior years they’re identical to us. We hunch over in our previous years and [donkeys] get swayback,” mentioned Mainprize.
Swayback is a typical time period for Lordosis, which is the weakening of donkeys supporting ligaments alongside the backbone.
“Donkeys additionally don’t shed out like horses. The place horses are dropping their hair like loopy, these ones maintain on till June then falls out with grooming, then it’s rising once more in July,” mentioned Mainprize.
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Donations from the general public are essential to continued caring for the abused, deserted and surrendered donkeys just like the standard-sized donkey Siska, who was at a kill shelter in Saskatchewan, earlier than being taken to the refuge.
She had a wound on her brow that wouldn’t heal, an x-ray discovered that she had blunt drive trauma and a bone fragment was inflicting her misery. As soon as it was eliminated, Robert Miller, co-founder of the Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge Society says she has recovered mentally and bodily from the abuse.
“The abuse she obtained didn’t cease her from trusting people, which may be very odd. After an affect like that you’d suppose she wouldn’t belief them once more,” mentioned
To donate to the Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge Society and to be taught extra about their applications, go to their web site www.turtlevalleydonkeyrefuge.com