1. Adopters must be able to provide a dry lot (no grass) large enough for the donkeys to get up to a full gallop easily, complete with a three-sided shelter, adequate, safe fencing appropriate for the size of the donkeys, and heated water (in winter). Water must be fresh and available at all times.  Paddock must be mucked daily to keep the donkeys healthy. Yes, even in wintertime. Yes, even when it is rainy. Yes, even when it is 100F°. 

2. Adopters need to be capable of safely catching, leading, tying, grooming, and picking out hooves of their donkeys before adopting. Confidence and knowledge with the level of skill needed for each donkey adopted is required. Many donkeys are not "beginner" donkeys, though some are. Some training can be provided by the rescue, and continued support can be provided dependent on distance from the rescue.

3. Adopters must commit to interacting with and continuing training of the donkeys they adopt to keep their skills fresh for care and keeping. For some donkeys, this may mean they need to be caught and handled weekly, for some, daily. Ideally, handling involves hoof picking at least 4X a week for each donkey. 

4. Adopter must provide good quality, stemmy, low protein and low sugar forage at least twice, preferably 3 times a day at 1.5 % of each donkey's ideal body weight, as well as provide a salt lick and mineral supplement. Alfalfa is generally not ideal. Some donkeys may do best with forage that is partially straw. No sweet feed or sugary treats, especially for donkeys who have been obese, due to risk of founder. Slow feed nets are encouraged. VERY FEW donkeys can handle our rich pasture grass, and therefore we generally do not adopt out to pasture homes or homes where the donkeys will be on a horse diet. 

5. WE DO NOT ADOPT OUT DONKEYS AS LIVESTOCK GUARDIANS AND WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THEY WILL NOT HARM YOUR DOG. Donkeys are prey animals, not predators. They often attack and harm smaller livestock, and can be seriously harmed by large predators. Donkeys may be defensive towards family dogs. We do not "test" our donkeys to see if they are ok with dogs, as we do not love having vet bills.

6. Donkeys must be on at minimum an 8 (eight) week trim cycle with a farrier knowledgeable in donkey hoof shape and differences between donkeys and horses. No exceptions.

7. Absolutely no breeding of jennets that are adopted from Hee-Haw Halfway House Donkey Rescue and Education. All jacks will be castrated prior to adoption. 

8. When an adopter has been approved for a pair of donkeys, both an adoption contract and a legal bill of sale in Colorado, as well as a Brand Inspection, will be completed. This BI will have both the rescue's name and the Adopter's name on it. If the adopter ever decides the donkeys are not working out, they MUST be returned to the rescue to find another home. In this way, we ensure that all donkeys who come to us never end up in a situation that isn't ideal. 

There is good reason why any rescue organization "worth their salt" will not adopt out donkeys as "livestock guardians". There has been a long standing history of claims that donkeys will protect herds of smaller animals. And while some donkeys are territorial, most should never be put in this situation. The numbers of people messaging, emailing, and texting us asking either for livestock guardians or for help because their guardian donkey attacked a calf, sheep, or goat is astounding and frankly disheartening. This myth needs to cease. The 4 main reasons donkeys are not suitable as livestock guardians are:

1. Donkeys have a vastly different diet than other livestock (including horses) and will get obese on a cattle, goat, sheep or horse diet.

2. Donkeys often harm what they are supposed to "protect". That is solely the OWNER'S fault for putting them in that situation. Many donkeys do fine until they finally crack, and harm their pasture mates. It can be years down the road. It happens. 

3. Donkeys are herd animals and need other donkeys for their mental and physical well-being. They do not speak horse, goat, pig, cow, or sheep.

4. Donkeys rarely survive a true predator attack by anything larger than them. Miniature donkeys especially are at risk of predation, and I've had two MAMMOTH donkeys ripped to shreds by one pit bull who wriggled through a cracked car window to go after them. They were nearly eviscerated. Donkeys are PREY, not predators! 

​Please take the time to review the Anecdotal Evidence in our Blog Post.