Injured Baby Burro Rescued by Animal Services

A Riverside County Department of Animal Services officer rescued an injured baby burro May 1 from a Reche Canyon-area property, a spokesman for the Department said Thursday.

The days-old, female burro suffered a laceration in its rear area. Riverside County Animal Services veterinary team members treated the wound. It does not appear to be life threatening, according to according to John Welsh, Animal Services Chief/Media Relations & Social Media Strategist for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

Officer Christopher Peck responded to the call on Wednesday morning and drove to a property on Winship Way. Roger Eldridge, a retiree, had just left his home when he came across the burro in the middle of the road. He looked around, but didn’t see a herd nearby.

Eldridge exited his vehicle, greeted the burro, but it would not budge, Welsh said. He tried talking to it. “Why are you here?” But the conversation was one-sided.

Finally, he coaxed the young critter back to his home and the burro followed. Once it was safely inside the property, he shut the gate and asked his wife to call Animal Services.

“That little donkey was by itself,” said his wife, Judy Barker. “There was no mother. It was all by itself. She is very, very young — and very friendly.”

As she waited for Officer Peck, she assured the burro it was all fine. “I love animals,” she said. “I kept that little girl busy until she got rescued by you guys.”

It seemed odd that she was all alone, she said.

“She was in the middle of the street, as if she was lost or dazed,” Barker said.

Animal Services employees used a baby bottle to feed her a formula so she could get some nutrients. Registered Veterinary Technician Sharon Gonazles, an Animal Services veteran employee and someone with burro experience (she has two at home), volunteered to foster the burro at her property.

The injured baby burro is not currently available for adoption. When she is healthy and old enough, she may be put up for adoption or she could be transferred to one of Animal Services’ rescue-partner organizations, such as the nonprofit organization DonkeyLand.