Meet Leland

Back in 2006 in late winter a friend of mine came driving up with his horse trailer, jumped out so excited and said "Look what I bought you!!" I took a deep breath, hoping it was not that camel I had mentioned I wanted a few months back.....

I opened the side door to the trailer and out popped a pair of HUGE, fuzzy ears! That's all it took, one look and I was in love!

So we worked out a very modest price and this fuzzy, dopey, sad looking donkey now belonged to me. I found out later that he was bought out of the meat pen at the New Holland Auction with another donkey for $100.

After getting him to the barn. I slowly realized how much of a mess he was. He was covered in poo, urine, his feet were
over grown and he was underweight. He was also covered in lice and was full of worms. He looked so depressed. Believe it or not, animals can become depressed when in a stressful situation and without some sort of secure, consistant life.

I had set him up in a small barn in the backyard with about 4-5 inches of fresh wood shavings, a fresh bucket of water, a huge pile of hay and a bucket with some feed in it. He was not sure what to do. He ate, drank, laid down to roll, ate, drank, laid down. Etc. etc. He was so appreciative of his new "room". Over the next 2 weeks, Lee really blossomed. Then Nikki had her stroke. Leland really let me love him and lean on him when I thought for sure it was Nikki's last day and when I look back on his rehabilitaion I know that we saved each other. He was there for me 100% emotionally, leaning on me, letting me care for him and being so patient.

It has taken many years to get Lee 100%. He has never protested anything I have ever done to him. I body clip him every summer and he never fights me. He doesn't mind worming, shots he is "ok" with, but I can stick my hand in his ears, mouth and we are working diligently to get him to trust us with his hooves.

He was castrated last summer and has really come a long way to being a great pet. He adores people and his pasture mate "Calico". He especially loves his groceries. He gets grain in the winter and then just treats in the summer. He has the sofest muzzle. I love kissing it and one summer he was messing with some poison oak and guess who got poison oak on her face??

I love him more then I can say. He has so much personality and charisma!! And YES! He was named after Dog the bounty hunters son.....: )

Pictures: TOP TO BOTTOM

Lee this past winter being a hambone!

Lee and Mazzie 2 springs ago.

Lee and Cal. Best buds!

And these 2 bottom pictures are Leland a few days after he arrived.