Scooter

Scooter

Scooter

MSP0132

    Name: Scooter

    Type: Standard Donkey

    Color: White

    Markings: None

    Sex: Gelding

    Birthday: 1/1/2016

 

Scooter is the newest addition to our Trailside barn. He was one of the Bostic 9, seized by Rutherford County Animal Control in a heinous animal neglect case. He is coming around to being handleable, but unfortunately was starved and has significant issues in all four feet. His tongue is scarred from what we believe to be an injury sustained from foraging for food around sharp farm equipment. 

 

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Ruby

Ruby

Ruby

Ruby Kristin

    Name: Ruby

    Type: Standard Donkey

    Color: Chestnut

    Markings: None

    Sex: Mare

    Birthday: 1/1/2016

 

Ruby came to Red Bell Run as part of a horrific abuse case in Chesnee, South Carolina. Ruby was very suspicious of people at first, but is now handleable. She is best friends with her daughter, Moonshine, who was born shortly after their rescue! 

 

Ruby (1)
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Gus

Gus

Gus

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    Name: Gus

    Type: Standard Donkey

    Color: White

    Markings: None

    Sex: Gelding

    Birthday: 1/1/2017

 

Gus has quite a tale to tell. He was loaded on a trailer heading to auction and an unknown fate when the driver stopped at a gas station. An elderly gentleman happened to see Gus, who is relatively rare in the donkey world since he has a brilliant white coat, and asked where they were taking him. Upon learning that Gus was being disposed of, the man asked if he could have him. The answer was yes, so Gus was taken to his home. Unfortunately, Gus’ new home didn’t have fencing appropriate for a wily donkey and soon Gus was running the roads of Anderson County, NC, and making a general nuisance of himself. Animal Control was called and after consultation with Gus’ owner, Gus was surrendered to Anderson County. 

 

Red Bell Run was asked to take Gus as he was unhandleable and had some skin and eye issues that desperately needed to be addressed. From months of sunlight exposure Gus’ eyes had chronic conjunctivitis and were very painful. it turns out that poor Gus is albino (or nearly so) and requires daily care and a special fly mask to protect his skin and eyes from the sun. He would require several weeks of special treatment for the skin under his eyes (which had been scalded by constant drainage from his eyes). His poor nose also showed the effects of being exposed to the sun. Daniel Martinez, our expert donkey wizard, and the staff the the Trailside Barn started training Gus to make it possible to give him the care he needed. Several months later Gus’ eye issues are under control; Gus has learned to enjoy being grooming; and our staff is even able to pick his hooves with a little patience. Although Gus will have to have lifelong care for his condition, he is now happily living with his friends at the Trailside Barn and becoming a model citizen. 

 

Gus after
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Ella Grace & Gracie

Ella Grace & Gracie

Ella Grace & Gracie

EG and G 300ppi

   Name: Ella Grace

    Type: Standard Donkey

    Color: Red 

    Markings: Star

    Sex: Mare

    Birthday: 12/10/2019

 

   Name: Gracie

    Type: Standard Donkey

    Color: Red Roan

    Markings: None

    Sex: Mare

    Birthday: 1/1/2014

 

Ella Grace’s mom, Gracie, had been left to fend for herself with several other donkeys by an uncaring owner. Once the grass was eaten in their pasture the entire herd escaped the broken-down fencing in search of food. The two jacks in the herd (Vinnie, Ella Grace’s sire, and his partner Buddy Jackson) plus the three jennies wandering the roads and upsetting all of the neighboring equines didn’t go over well. The neighbors called Gracie’s owner and asked him to retrieve his donkeys. Sadly, the owner roped Buddy Jackson and proceeded to drag him down an asphalt road behind an ATV. You can imagine the damage that was done to poor Buddy Jackson. The neighbors were, of course, outraged, and called the authorities and ended up taking in all of the donkeys (Vinnie, Buddy Jackson, Ruby, Moonshine, and Gracie). Needing help, they reached out to us. The entire herd came to Red Bell Run to be properly cared for; they were all refed and dewormed and Buddy Jackson endured two months of ongoing treatments for his mangled legs. Then we realized that the herd of five was going to be a herd of seven!

It wasn’t long before Gracie began to have that “swallowed a giant pumpkin” look. The problem was that the herd had been on fescue pasture. Fescue has an endophyte on the grass blades which causes many issues with equine pregnancy including lack of lactation and thickened placentas. Knowing of Gracie’s neglect during most of her pregnancy, we sent her to Tryon Equine Hospital to ensure that help was on hand when the baby arrived.

In due course our Ella Grace made her appearance and it was immediately obvious that Vinnie was the lucky dad! They are the same beautiful red color and have striking white blazes on their faces. Ella Grace also had the longest ears of any baby donkey we’d ever seen! She did have some issues with her immune system because of fescue toxicity and received a plasma infusion before coming home, but is now thriving and healthy.

Ella Grace has become one of our “superstars” and was recently featured in a local art show. She is as sweet as she is beautiful and lives with her mom Gracie and her best friend Early in our Trailside Barn. 

Gracie7 Kristin
Ella Grace and Gracie Phillippa
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Ella5 Kristin
Moonshine

Moonshine

Moonshine

Moonshine2 Kristin

    Name: Moonshine

    Type: Standard Donkey

    Color: Brown

    Markings: None

    Sex: Mare

    Birthday: 1/1/2019

 

Moonshine came to Red Bell Run as part of a horrific abuse case. Her sire, Buddy Jackson, had been pulled down a road by an ATV, tearing his poor legs to pieces. We gathered up the entire herd and Moonshine is safe forever at Red Bell Run. Because she suffers from a severe congenital heart defect she may have a limited lifespan but we’ll make sure she enjoys every moment of it! 

 

Moonshine Kristin
Moonshine6 Kristin
Moonshine4 Kristin
Nick

Nick

Nick

Nick Kristin

 

    Name: Nick

    Type: Miniature Donkey

    Color: Grey

    Markings: None

    Sex: Gelding

    Birthday: 1/1/1984

 

Nick is one of our much-loved miniature donkeys! He was rescued by Circle of Friends in Oklahoma City, OK from the dog catcher. He had escaped from his home and was running down a highway when he was spotted, landed in the county shelter and was scooped up and sent to Red Bell Run. At 35 years old, Nick has a variety of ailments but nothing slows him down! He has fibrotic lung disease common in older donkeys and lost an eye recently to endotheliitis. He has recovered well and is happy taking his naps and running the Trailside Barn with his friends! 

 

Nick napping
Nick in new orange halter Olivia
Nick4 Kristin

 

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