Healing Hearts Donkey Shelter And Refuge-North Central Washington Region

12/08/2025

Adopted
We have one remaining female at the rescue and she is ready for a new home. Please share and lets get the word out to help Luna find her forever home!
Please message me N.O. Paws Left Behind Rescue & Okanogan County Everything Dogs if you would like to schedule and appointment to meet Luna.

08/08/2025

Sharing an excellent post from our friends at the Oregon Donkey Sanctuary about bonded donkeys.

06/08/2025

I completely agree with the sentiments expressed in this post. Donkeys have become increasingly popular as pasture pets, with many individuals acquiring them without thoroughly researching the responsibilities involved in their care.

I emphasize to people that donkeys are not typical farm animals and should be treated more like exotic pets. Unlike horses, they require distinct dietary needs, living environments, and understanding of their unique body language, which can be easily misinterpreted. Moreover, their response to behavioral training differs significantly.

Originating from the African Desert, donkeys' bodies have adapted to survive in that environment, which is vastly different from the grassy plains where horses originated. As a result, their bodily needs have evolved to thrive in their native environment. As a donkey shelter and refuge with over a decade of experience working with donkeys, we frequently encounter donkeys that are obese or unmanageable due to owners who underestimated the challenges of caring for them.

By the time these owners realize that the donkey is not a good fit, the animal has often developed chronic laminitis or Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Unfortunately, few people are willing to adopt donkeys with pre-existing medical issues such as these.

On occasion, we receive donkeys that have been well-cared for and are only being surrendered due to circumstances beyond their owners' control. I wish we had more cases like these, but unfortunately, they are the exception rather than the rule.

06/08/2025

ALL DOGS MUST GO! N.O. PAWS LEFT BEHIND RESCUE, Oroville WA FACILITY CLOSING AUGUST 31, 2025
We do not have enough funds to buy the next pallet of dog food and we still have a bill with Tonasket Veterinary Service that needs to be paid, in addition, we have the continued costs of maintaining the facility if we were to keep it open.
After a lot of consideration by the board, it has been decided that we will close the facility at the end of August 2025. We have just 20 days to find homes for the 7 dogs at N.O. Paws Left Behind Rescye and we need you to help by sharing their information. We will be offering $25 adoption fees on all of our dogs in hopes that will assist with their placement. If you can please reach out to any rescue facilities that may have room to take some of our dogs we would appreciate help with that as well, but we do need help with transporting them also.
Aspen, Blacky, Jim Dean, Lux, Ozzy, Rascal, Zeus, Luna, Handsome, Moose (available for foster or adopt), and Milo and Chloe (not pictured and pending adoption) would appreciate as many shares as you can give them! Now is the time for them to find their happily ever after!
Please message me N.O. Paws Left Behind Rescue & Okanogan County Everything Dogsto schedule a time to meet the dogs at N.O. Paws Left Behind Rescue

Link to available dog album and bios https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1F2YGzqxmq/

06/08/2025

05/08/2025

I was surprised when I asked Google AI, "Besides Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, what are the top donkey rescues in the U.S.?" Here’s the response I got:

Aside from Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, there are several highly regarded donkey rescues in the United States. Some notable examples include:

- **Longhopes Donkey Shelter**: Located in Bennett, Colorado, Longhopes is a sanctuary and adoption center dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of donkeys. They have a 4.9-star rating based on 142 Google reviews.

- **Forever Home Donkey Rescue and Sanctuary**: Situated in Benson, Arizona, this nonprofit sanctuary rescues donkeys and offers tours. They boast a 5-star rating based on 125 Google reviews.

- **Healing Hearts Donkey Shelter and Refuge**: Located in Riverside, Washington, this organization accepts adoptable donkeys and works with law enforcement on cases of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. They care for, train, rehabilitate, and rehome donkeys in need while also educating the public about donkeys. They have a 4.8-star rating based on 12 Google reviews.

- **Oscar's Place Adoption Center & Sanctuary**: This organization rescues donkeys and is verified by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. They maintain a strong online presence and receive positive reviews.

- **Peaceful Pastures Donkey Rescue**: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Peaceful Pastures is dedicated to ending cruelty towards donkeys. They rescue, rehabilitate, rehome, and provide sanctuary to abused, neglected, malnourished, ill, and elderly donkeys. They also aim to educate the public about the plight of donkeys worldwide.

These are just a few examples, and many other dedicated individuals and organizations work tirelessly across the U.S. to rescue and care for donkeys in need. I recommend exploring these and other local rescues to find one that aligns with your values and interests."

Seeing my organization's efforts recognized publicly is incredibly validating. It boosts my morale and reinforces the positive impact I am striving to achieve. It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team.

Meet the rest of my team (Board Of Directors) below (from left to right): my avatar, Dan & I, Sara Rowan, Jason White, Raesha White, and Sarah Fox.


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05/08/2025

To our valued friends and supporters,

On July 21, 2025, Okanogan Regional Humane terminated the employment of our Director for multiple valid reasons. It is always unfortunate for both sides when your hopes for a mutually beneficial employment opportunity do not work out; however, it is our duty to ensure that all of our staff share our goals and mission and are willing to support them in a professional and compassionate manner.

After her termination, this employee misappropriated company assets, disabled services, deleted scheduled appointments, and e-mails. Fraudulent texts and e-mails were sent, and defamatory statements were posted on social media. All of these things were done in a malicious effort to dismantle Okanogan Regional Humane. Her efforts were unsuccessful; business systems are restored, enhanced security protocols are in place, and we remain committed to our mission of reducing overpopulation by providing spay and neuter services to our communities.

Contrary to claims, Okanogan Regional Humane has an active and compliant Board of Directors who support our mission and passionately care about animal welfare. They are not compensated for their service and receive no financial gain from their efforts. All expenditures are reviewed and approved through appropriate channels. Purchasing decisions are made based on necessity to run an efficient operation and to provide for the needs of animals in our communities.

We understand the passion that drives animal welfare work and respect the contributions of all of those who have helped along the way. We also believe that personal grievances should not be aired in a way that harms the very mission we all claim to support. To all of the many donors, volunteers, and community partners who continue to support us, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It is your support that allows us to continue serving the animals who need us the most. Since 2009, 9,463 animals have been spayed and neutered, community cat colonies have been cared for, sick and injured animals have received veterinary care from local full-service veterinary clinics, and countless animals have been treated and socialized for adoption through our shelter and rescue partners. These things were all made possible by the generous support of our donors and the tireless efforts of ORH staff, Board members, volunteers, and community partners. We are truly fortunate to live in an area where so many compassionate people support animal welfare.

As we move forward, we would like to offer our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience and distress recent events may have caused. If you have questions or concerns, we welcome the opportunity to discuss them with you. Please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or (509) 422-9960.

05/08/2025

A WORD ABOUT TRANSPORTING DONKEYS

Transport donkeys loose, wearing a head collar. Do not tie them up; they prefer to find their own balance. Keep bonded donkeys with their companions in the box; do not split them with a partition.

Often times when you load donkeys facing the front of the trailer untied, you will almost always find every one of them facing the back and looking right at you when you open the trailer doors.

NOTE: Donkeys that are lame, have overgrown hooves, are over 30 years old, in poor condition, very overweight or under veterinary treatment must not be transported without a certificate of fitness to travel, which is issued by a veterinary surgeon.

Here's a funny little anecdote....
One day we were transporting 4 miniature donkeys in a small horse trailer. Two of them were morbidly obese and two of them were a healthy size. We loaded them up and faced them all-in-one direction it was a tight sardine squeeze but they were in there. By the time we got to our destination and opened the trailer doors, we had found that they managed to maneuver themselves so they were arranged with one obese mini was facing the front, one healthy mini facing the back, the next obese mini facing the front, and the final obese mini facing the back.

I wish I could have been a fly on the wall to watch how they coordinated the move. They're smart and they know how to travel to stay balanced. If you leave them alone to their devices without tying them, they will do whatever they must to maintain comfort and balance during their road trip.

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Photo Credit: Morning Bray Farm