San Bernardino County partners with nonprofit to care for wild donkey population
By Dean Fioresi
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SAN BERNARDINO, California (KCAL, KCBS) — San Bernardino County leaders on Tuesday announced a new pair of plans that partner them with a local nonprofit organization to oversee the care of the area’s sprawling wild donkey population.
The contracts, which were signed with DonkeyLand, went into effect on April 1 and will provide a number of services that support the burros in the Reche and San Timoteo canyons.
“Working closely with DonkeyLand strengthens our ability to address the unique challenges surrounding wild burros,” said George Harding IV, the chief of the county’s Animal Care Division. “This partnership reflects our shared goal of effectively managing the burro population while maintaining the safety and quality of life for our community.”
In recent months, residents have been at odds over how the large burro population should be handled.
The county’s press release says that the “non-financial contract” will allow for rescue and relocation services for donkeys that are sick, orphaned or injured and others identified as “a risk to themselves or the community.” They say that those deemed unfit for release to its sanctuary, “where each burro will receive lifelong care and protection.”
A second contract will also provide funding to DonkeyLand so that 100 burros can be castrated within a one-year term. This will help support population management while still allowing the burros to roam free in the wild, the county’s release said. In turn, they believe that they will achieve a balance of burros in the wild and will ensure the health of both the animal and human communities in the area.
Additionally, San Bernardino County will also be utilizing information gathered from an animal incident tracker to provide data responses to community needs. Residents can report incidents online, which will be shared with DonkeyLand when intervention is required.
“We’re thrilled to continue to work with San Bernardino County under new contracts to support our local burros,” said Amber LeVonne, the founder of DonkeyLand. “It’s a true community effort, and I’m excited to see the positive impact we’ll have.”
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