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Do you need donkey advice or have a donkey question?
and check out our Donkey Helpline! What's the question we are asked most frequently? How much will it cost to adopt a donkey from TPDR? Our adoption fee is normally $650.00, although occasionally a donkey may be priced a bit lower. The fee could also be adjusted upward depending on the training to ride/and or drive that animal has had while here. The adoption fee always covers all vaccines, farrier work, current coggins, registration fee and castration.
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Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue is operated by volunteers who are committed to Donkeys and giving them a second chance, a Turning Pointe, in their lives.
Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue became a reality in October 2004 when an enthusiastic group of people got together and decided that many nice donkeys were unwanted, unappreciated and often found themselves in the meat pen at an auction.
We are a Michigan based non profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of miniature, standard and mammoth donkeys.
Our objective is to promote the humane care and proper training of these long ears and to provide the public with a better understanding of their true nature
Our efforts will be directed towards rescuing donkeys, and the education of perspective and current donkey owners.
Donkeys come to the Rescue from a variety of difficult situations. They will be matched with the most compatible, compassionate and supportive environment.
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There is no
character, howsoever good and fine, but it can be destroyed by
ridicule, howsoever poor and witless. Observe the ass, for instance:
his character is about perfect, he is the choicest spirit among all
the humbler animals, yet see what ridicule has brought him to. Instead
of feeling complimented when we are called an ass, we are left in
doubt. |
**Official Notice**
Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue does not necessarily support any political issues that may be on a sponsor's site or any website that we have linked to. It is not the policy of Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue to endorse or become involved in political issues.
Turning Pointe is currently forming a list of volunteers to transport adopted donkeys in and out of state. Please call Sharon Windsor at 517-623-0000 to find out more!
I lost my job
my boyfriend thinks
the donks are slobs
I didn't know
they'd need the vet
and shelter when
outside was wet
They were so cute
when young and furry
but now they must go
in a hurry
They're big! they eat!
and require care
I'm getting allergic
to the hair
What was a lark
is now a bore
I don't want to do
any more donkey chores
I've let them get
out of control
they have no manners
help save their souls
I swear I'll take them
to an auction
if you don't fix
my misdirection I can not wait
to get them away
You must take them in
and let them stay
So please come now
and pay a fee
to care for
my irresponsibility.
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Another Happy Ending..........
TPDR Wilson will be living here! TPDR Wilson came to us in early may from a sale barn and had been shaved almost completely bald. We think this was done to him in an attempt to even off the large areas on his skinny little body that were already hairless due to a serious infestation of lice.
This little
jack had absolutely no body reserves to fight off illness. He was
close to starvation, and full of both internal and external
parasites. As expected, shortly after arriving here he became
seriously ill with pneumonia. At one time our veterinarian only gave
him a 50% chance of survival. He was by far one of the most stoic
little patients I have ever had in my barn. He endured the many
exams, seemingly countless injections, and oral medications without
the first complaint. This starving youngster never turned down a
meal---even the day his temp. was 105.6!!!
Then he turned
the corner. He had finally responded to treatment. Those horrid
rapid respirations had gone back to a normal rate. His temp.
returned to normal and stayed there. I then began putting him out in
the sunshine on the green grass. His recovery has been rapid and is
complete.
And we are happy to announce his adoption! Wilson will be joining Tracy Mikowski and her family of Traverse City, Mi. along with Jeeves and Dante shown below! Tracy is a former zoo curator. What a PERFECT home for little Wilson that came to TPDR in such dreadful condition. Congratulations!!!!!!!!!
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Jeeves and Dante waiting for Wilson to come home!
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TPDR has once again been invited to The Rocky Mountain Select Miniature Donkey Sale in Castle Rock Colorado on July 11-13, 2008. Representing Turning Pointe at the event will be Jen Engstrom, Toni Jones, and Sharon Windsor who will also be representing AKA Miniature Donkeys as well.
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Our contact from last year that made fly leg wraps for donkeys, is no longer affiliated with TPDR. We will let you know right here the very second we find someone else who can make these dandy wraps! SORRY! |
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Several weeks ago, Sharon was contacted
by Jason Peltier the event planner for The Big Rock Chop House
in Birmingham, Mi.
They were catering a Mexican themed birthday
party on Saturday, May 31 for 100 guests and asked if we would
be interested in having a TPDR donkey attend the event. As this
presented us with the opportunity for additional support for our
rescued long ears we decided to have a go at it. Besides, it
sounded like fun!
Jen Engstrom and Sharon along with
AKA Lucky Miller
(standing in for TPDR Jeffrey) attended the party in Commerce
Twp. Mi. and had a grand time. Lucky was a big hit, and made
many new friends for donkeys everywhere. Most of the guests had
no idea that there was a need for a donkey rescue, or that such
organizations even existed.
Jason and the crew from Big Rock Chop House
were a pleasure to work with. They took excellent care of Jen
and myself---The Food Was Great!
They frequently asked if there was anything
we needed, or if they could bring Lucky some water. They even
escorted us safely to and from our trailer. What nice people to
work with.
Thanks Jason
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On April 15th, Sharon took Hope to Kern Road Veterinary Clinic to be seen by our veterinarian Perry Ragon D.V.M. and farrier Jeff Cotton. Hope was sedated, and had additional films taken of both front feet. After reading her new films both Perry and Jeff got to work on de-briding the lesions in her front feet. There was extensive corrective trimming done at that time as well. The lesions were then packed with Metronidazole and her feet were wrapped and I brought her back home to TPDR later that same afternoon. The following month will be filled with twice weekly packing of the lesions and re-bandaging her feet. April is normally a rainy, muddy month in Michigan, and Hopes bandages must be kept clean and dry. Update/progress report to follow, and more on Hope can be found here!
***Update 5/23/08***
What an absolutely good day today turned out to be!
Our veterinarian Dr. Ragon was here this afternoon to recheck several donkeys that had recently been very ill. As I had removed Hope`s bandages just prior to his arrival, I asked him to have a look at the lesions on her feet and give me a progress report. The healing process is now complete! After first packing the lesions with Metronidazole, about 10 days ago we moved to iodine. The tracts are now hard, healthy hoof material. For the FIRST time in almost six months Hope willingly stood on three feet while the fourth was examined by the vet. A far cry from when she first arrived here and upon attempting to lift a front foot she fell over as the pain was so severe she was unable to stand. Hope will always carry the evidence of her prior abuse and neglect. We can't fix the bowed, knotted tendons in her front legs. They are a direct result of the years she suffered with her infected, twisted front hooves. She had to get around the best she could manage. I can't re-grow the areas on both her front and rear legs that are hairless and scarred from a number of summer fly strikes. Crippled donkeys don't have much of a chance fighting the relentless biting insects of the summer months. Hope will also forever carry the buckshot Dr. Ragon discovered in her front leg upon his initial exam. I doesn't appear to bother her. It bothers me a great deal. There were subtle signs that she might be on the mend. The very first was the change in her expression and overall demeanor. She gradually began to loose that haunted, pain wracked appearance that she came here with. Over the past weeks I noticed she was up more than down. Well last week while doing a bit of paperwork, I looked out and saw her out in her turnout yard. Problem was, I didn't put her out there! I went outside to check on things and discovered I hadn't latched her pen gate. Too crippled to push her pen open you know! She had turned herself out to enjoy a bit of grass. As she was fine where she was, I left her to enjoy the grass, closed the front barn door and returned to the house and my paperwork. I would put her up later. No need for that! When I went to do afternoon chores there she was back in her own pen laying down for a rest. SMART COOKIE ! Hope is well under 10 years old. Six or seven we think. Her disposition and personality are wonderful. She is due for a trim in the next week or two. We will get those front hooves straight in the near future. Update to follow.
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| Carol Smerling pictured with her gang in
Millbrook N.Y. Carol adopted General Wilbur from us in
June of 2006.
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During the last week of January, we were made aware of a donkey located in Southeast Ohio that the owner was intent on "getting rid of" immediately. They had placed weekly, and then biweekly ads for her each time lowering her price to almost nothing. After learning more we agreed to bring her home to TPDR. The trip from Ohio was a long and difficult one for "TPDR Hope" who arrived here in dire need of a farrier and a veterinarian. Check here to find more about her rehabilitation
We would like to say a very special THANK YOU to Carol Smerling, (shown above) Carol made a generous donation to TPDR which covered TPDR Hope's veterinary and farrier expenses! Carol, Thank you for being such a wonderful friend of TPDR!
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Often we have new donkeys like Victor (shown below) that come to us and for various reasons, they are not yet available for adoption.
"TPDR Victor" We know from numerous conversations with previous adopters and other followers of our rescue that many people watch the progression of certain animals. As a result of this, we have started a new section of our website for our "Donkeys in Rehab" or our "Works in Progress" This page will highlight our long eared friends that are not quite ready to leave the rescue and go to their forever homes. Click here to find out more!
A few of our other "works in progress" |
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