The post Meet Man’s “Other Best Friend”: Inside the Mission of Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue appeared first on A-Z Animals.
In a world where horses get the glory, dogs get the devotion, and cats get the memes, donkeys have long gotten the short end of the stick. Often overlooked, misunderstood, and unfairly cast as stubborn or silly, these creatures are far more than cartoonish sidekicks or symbols of foolishness. In fact, if you ask Kim Elger, Chief Operating Officer at Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR), they’re “man’s other best friend.”
Kim would know. PVDR is the largest donkey rescue in the country … maybe even the world. Based in San Angelo, Texas, it’s a haven for thousands of donkeys, from abandoned pets to wild burros pulled from the brink of destruction. But it all started in a much smaller pasture, and believe it or not, it’s all thanks to Craigslist.
Official greeter at Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue reporting for duty!
©Facebook – Original
From Craigslist to a Cause
Back in 2000, Mark and Amy Myers — the eventual co-founders of PVDR — were looking for a companion for their horse. Craigslist was new, the Myers were curious, and somewhere in that Wild West of early internet classifieds, they found a six-month-old donkey.
“They thought, ‘That would be such a cool companion for our horse!’” says Kim. “After they got her, they fell in love with donkeys and started to realize that there were a lot more donkeys in need than they realized. Horse rescues are a dime a dozen, but when it came to the donkeys, they had no voice.”
Soon, their backyard was home to 25 rescued donkeys. That’s when the Myers had “the talk.” “They finally looked at each other and said, ‘Okay, what are we going to do here? We have 25 donkeys. We’re either going to be hoarders or we’re going to take this seriously,’” says Kim. They chose the latter, sold their construction businesses, and built what would become Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue.
These animals can go through unthinkable, unimaginable situations, where you would never blame them if they could never trust people again.
Kim Elger, Chief Operating Officer at Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue
Everything’s Bigger in Texas. Even the Donkey Sanctuary!
After starting in Tehachapi, California, the Myers moved the operation to San Angelo in 2012. “Land is a lot cheaper here,” Kim notes, and it helped that Mark was already helping Texas Parks and Wildlife with a feral donkey situation down by the Rio Grande.
Today, PVDR is a sprawling network. It includes satellite adoption centers across the lower 48 states and 25 sanctuary locations in Texas and Oklahoma. Those sanctuaries? They’re for the donkeys that “aren’t ready for human interaction” — wild burros who need peace, not people.
“They still have a sense of freedom in our sanctuary locations,” says Kim. “They’re grazing and able to do just what donkeys do, but we’ve provided them with a safe environment, and they’re no longer under the threat of destruction.”
And yes, they still get the full VIP package: hoof trims, dental checks, deworming, and vaccines. “It’s the same care as our donkeys at our other facilities,” Kim assures.
Given the recent catastrophic weather events, one might wonder how thousands of donkeys are doing in the face of Texas flooding.
“We did get a rush-through of water, but it cleared out,” Kim says. “We lost a fence, but it happened to be our friendliest training donkeys, and they didn’t want to leave the shelter of their barn, so they didn’t care that the fence was down.”
We’re happy to hear everyone is safe!
Following the recent flooding in San Angelo, TX, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue is grateful to report that all team members at Central Headquarters are safe … including the sweet donkeys!
©Facebook – Original
Where Do These Donkeys Come From?
PVDR runs a twofold rescue effort: one for domestic donkeys and one for wild burros.
The domestic side works with law enforcement, animal control, and sheriff’s departments. “We rescue them from abuse, neglect, abandonment, starvation, and any sort of maltreatment,” Kim explains. They also accept a smaller number of owner surrenders.
Then there’s the wild side — where things get political and a little heartbreaking. Some donkeys are captured by the Bureau of Land Management and fail adoption three times. With no other options, they’re headed toward destruction — unless PVDR steps in.
But Peaceful Valley has its own boots-on-the-ground initiative: the Wild Burro Project. “We manage five and a half million acres out in the Death Valley area,” Kim says. Since these lands aren’t protected under the Wild Horse and Burro Free Roaming Act, any donkeys crossing out of protected areas are labeled nuisances.
“They don’t know where those boundaries start and stop,” Kim says. “So we come in and we capture as many as we can to save them from destruction.”
The sociable ones enter training and, eventually, adoption. “That’s how we’re able to continue bringing donkeys in,” Kim adds. “We train these animals to be friendly, social, stand tied, and lift four feet for a farrier. And they’re adopted as pets into adoptive homes.”
This friendly face is part of Peaceful Valley’s training program, where sociable donkeys learn the skills they need to become adoptable — and eventually find loving forever homes.
©Facebook – Original
Donkeys Aren’t Stubborn. We Swear.
So why do donkeys get such a bad rap?
“It’s going to start with no longer categorizing donkeys as mean or stubborn,” Kim says. “Mark, our executive director, always likes to reference Pinocchio. When he did something foolish, he always morphed into a donkey.”
That bad branding stuck.
“They’re often referenced in a derogatory way, which gives people the perception that these are bad animals — that they’re trash and not worth saving.”
The truth? Donkeys helped build American infrastructure — railroads, mining towns, and the Gold Rush. “They were actually more valuable than horses!” Kim exclaims.
These days, their greatest value may just be emotional.
“They’re extremely social. They are like big dogs! They’re very curious, and once they get to know you, they want to be in your business. They want to supervise you to make sure you’re doing it right.”
They’re also incredibly smart — and no, stubbornness isn’t stupidity. It’s self-preservation.
“They will stop and think it through,” says Kim. “They will decide whether or not that threat is worth their time to even go after… If they continue to feel threatened, they will actually do the opposite — they will choose fight versus flight.”
Often mislabeled as stubborn, donkeys are actually thoughtful, cautious, and incredibly intelligent — traits that help keep them safe and make them far more than just a punchline.
©Facebook – Original
From Quarantine to Companion
Every donkey that comes through PVDR starts the same way: quarantine. “That is the first three weeks of their care with us,” Kim explains. They get health screenings, a diet check, and plenty of TLC. From there, their fate branches.
Some go to a sanctuary, especially those too scared or mistreated to rebuild trust. But others? They go into training — often quickly.
“To be considered adoptable, our donkeys must have straight A’s in friendliness,” Kim says. That means halter trained, walkable on a lead, able to pick up all four feet for the farrier — and ready to be your new best friend.
Not Just Any Home Will Do
Adopting a donkey is like dating with a really thorough background check. “There’s an online application… they have to submit photos of their property. We also require references — not just personal references, but also a veterinary contact and a farrier contact,” Kim explains.
No breeding allowed. Just backyard buddies.
“We don’t want to have to re-rescue our donkeys,” Kim adds. “They’re going to want and expect to be with people. They’re going to want to be groomed.”
Donkeys like this one thrive in loving, well-prepared homes — complete with grooming, companionship, and a commitment to lifelong care.
©Facebook – Original
A Donkey Named Casey
Among the thousands of donkeys who’ve found safety at Peaceful Valley, one story still lingers for Kim.
His name is Casey.
“He was posted on a neighborhood Facebook page as just being a loose donkey in the neighborhood,” she recalls. “I think he’d been uncared for — fending for himself for a few months, and wandering the neighborhood.”
Casey had a mangled back leg and was hobbling along on three. PVDR coordinated with the sheriff’s department and rescued him. Ultimately, the leg had to be amputated — and a prosthetic fitted.
“He just made it back here to the rescue about two weeks ago,” Kim says. “And he’s the sweetest boy. You’d never know that he had such a harrowing start.”
What amazed her most wasn’t just his physical resilience, but his emotional one.
“These animals can go through unthinkable, unimaginable situations, where you would never blame them if they could never trust people again,” Kim says. “But I’ve seen more turnaround than not… learning that not every human is a bad human, not every situation is a painful situation, and some people are willing to help.”
Once overlooked, donkeys are finally getting the recognition they deserve. They’re resilient, loyal, and deeply worthy of love, care, and a second chance.
©Facebook – Original
Donkeys Deserve Better
When Kim first joined Peaceful Valley, she didn’t know much about donkeys. That’s changed — and so has her outlook.
“These animals are so worthy of our attention, our care, and our saving,” she says. “They built this country on their backs, and then suddenly, people started treating them like they’re trash. But they are fighters, and they’re definitely worth it.”
Whether you’re a longtime equine lover or new to the bray-filled charm of the donkey world, one thing is clear: it’s time to give these underdog icons the respect, care, and love they’ve always deserved.
And if you’re lucky? You just might meet your other best friend.
Learn more or get involved at www.donkeyrescue.org. You can also follow Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue on social media for updates, volunteer opportunities, and ridiculously cute donkey photos.
The post Meet Man’s “Other Best Friend”: Inside the Mission of Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue appeared first on A-Z Animals.
July 22, 2025 at 05:32PMJenna Bratcher.jpeg)
.jpeg)
0 Comments