SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
April 20, 2019
Correction…
Our new employee is Kim Nelson… NOT Wilson! So please join me in welcoming Kim Nelson to the Rescue’s Staff!
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
April 19, 2019
Ears the news…
I apologize for the lapse between newsletters. It’s been a rough winter. I recently lost my first donkey Lula at age 28 . That was a tough one for me. Jeff got her for me as a gift and we brought her home in the back of a van when she was 16 weeks old. It is because of Lula that I began to reach out to other donkey owners, read everything I could get my hands on about donkeys and their care, their nutritional needs, behavioral needs, and what it takes to start a rescue. The rest is history.
We have taken in a lot of animals with medical issues, those needing a lot of “fattening up”, and those with severe hoof issues. The weather has been challenging as well. Thankfully we are finally getting some warmer, sunny days and life is looking a bit more optimistic.
We have recently said farewell to two of our devoted board members, Joan Gemme, and Jean Cornish. They will be missed. We wish them well in their new endeavors. Thankfully Joan will still be volunteering to help with the auction and side projects for which we are very grateful!
We are in the process of looking for a new treasurer for the BOD as well as someone gifted in the art of fund raising. If you or anyone you know might be interested please let me know.
We currently have several adoptions pending and several in the works, just waiting for i’s to be dotted and t’s to be crossed. Shadow will be going to a wonderful home where she will have the company of many other donkeys of varying sizes. Sol and Luna will be going to their new home next month, as hopefully will be Ruth and Ezra. We have people interested in Molly and Shadow, so hopefully all will be in new, loving homes before long. We love having them here but it is no substitute for being doted on by forever owners. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the adoption of Manny and Sibley as well.
We are having our annual Open House on May 18th this year and hope to see you there! It’s a fun day to hang with the animals, other like minded folks, share food and a good time. It will be held from 11:00 to 4:00. Please join us and bring your friends!
I would also like to publicly welcome’s our newest employee, Kim Wilson who now works weekends. I get a day off!! Kim is a hard worker with a wonderful sense of humor; paramount for this job, and a great love for the animals. We are happy to have her on board!
I will do my best to get back on track with the timely writing of this newsletter.
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
December 28, 2018
Happy Holidays to all of our friends and supporters!
There are only a few days left for us to reach our goal-won’t you please consider a donation?
At SYALER, ALL of your donated funds go directly toward the care of the donkeys, mules, and hinnies, as they wait for their forever homes. We only have one full time paid employee, the rest of the work (and it’s a lot!) is done by a dedicated team of volunteers. Your support is essential to continue our mission!
Please consider a donation of any amount. Even $5 will buy a bale of hay, $35.00 will pay for a hoof trim, and $70 will cover a farm call by one of our wonderful veterinarians.
And now, with our fearless leader Ann Firestone out of commission with a broken leg, funds are also needed to hire temporary barn help until she gets back on her feet.
We wish you all a wonderful holiday season, and send a heartful thank you for your continued support ️
ChEARS,
Ann
What Short Ears You Have!!
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
December 21, 2018
Generosity of spirit in the Season of Giving
I learned pretty early on in this rescue game there are certain words to avoid at all costs… Always and Never… as soon as the words “this donkey has never” come out of my mouth the donkey makes a liar out of me! Another phrase that has become indelibly marked in my brain is to “expect the unexpected.” This phrase came to mind about two weeks ago when a midnight call from the state police awakened Jeff and me. There was a stray horse in the yard of a woman in town! She took the horse into her barn for safe keeping and called the state police who called the rescue asking for our help.
Of course I said we would take this animal in. A few minutes later I get a call from the trooper asking if we have a truck and trailer to get the horse here! We do, but I am not mobile due to having a broken leg and messed up ankle and wearing a cast. I called one of our amazing volunteers shortly after midnight. He said he would be over ASAP and would go with Jeff to pick up the horse.
Fortunately the horse was very agreeable to walking right on to the trailer with only a lead rope around his neck. He was too weak to protest!! This poor horse was a walking skeleton. He has rain rot all over his body, an abscess on his face and hooves so long that they are affecting his posture. Due to our willingness to take him in we were now legally bound to hold on to him until his owner goes to court to face cruelty charges!
He has been seen by the State Veterinarian, who gave him a body condition score of 1.08. One being emaciated. Due to the legality of things we were unable to have our vet treat him other than doing what would keep him comfortable until we got the go ahead.
I know that Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue is for donkeys and mules in need, but there is no way I could say no to a short ear in need, especially at this time of year when generosity of spirit is in the forefront. I do realize that by taking this animal in and getting it started on a good nutrition program and having his medical issues addressed I have added more of a burden to the rescue’s financial status. Expect the unexpected.
We so appreciate the kindness and generosity of our loyal supporters and hope the fact that this animal is not a donkey or a mule does not upset anyone.
This is the second time in the history of the rescue that we have taken in a horse.
ChEARS,
Ann
P.S. — We were happily surprised yesterday to have the soon to be new state vet, his assistant, another wonderful state trooper, and a representative from a well-known horse rescue in the state come to pick up the little horse yesterday. We wish you well Sweet Sisu!
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
December 14, 2018
Love is all you need…
I “came of age” in the sixties; a wonderful time for all kinds of music. I am still very into music and often think of songs relating to my work. The Beatle’s classic All You Need Is Love came to mind this morning. If only that were so!
All of us committed to the animals here love them unconditionally and get that back in spades. Unfortunately love will not buy hay. Love will not pay vet bills. Love will not pay the plumber when the hydrant seizes up. We have more than enough love to go around, but not enough money.
I realize that the “we need more money” song gets really old, but it is a sad fact of running a nonprofit animal rescue. I came into this work very naïve in regards to what it really entailed. I love all animals; have since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I have fond memories from when I could not have been more than seven or so, helping my dad raise orphan squirrels. Our family had a membership to the Bronx Zoo where I could not be taken often enough. I learned a lot about many different animal species and their needs at the “backstage” visits, a perk of being a member. I learned enough to know at a young age I would someday be involved working with animals.
Fast forward to now. I am so lucky! I still love all animals and enjoy most people as well. The rescue allows me to engage with both on a daily basis. I have amazing helpers who work very hard to keep the farm looking ship shape and the animals well cared for. I am very grateful for what I do have and really dislike having to ask for more. The part I didn’t factor in at the beginning was that asking for help would become part of my job.
Please know that every penny donated is very gratefully appreciated. All of it goes toward the care of the animals and upkeep of the farm. We have one full time paid employee. Everyone else who is here on a regular basis, including myself, are not paid. We are volunteers.
I thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.
ChEARS,
Ann
p.s. — A heartfelt thank you to all who are shopping on our website as well. Your support is greatly appreciated!
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
December 6, 2018
Ears the news…
Whereupon our Fearless Leader Falls
In the early morning hours on Saturday, November 24th, walking through her living room Ann stepped on German Shepherd Jack’s tail which abruptly knocked her off her feet resulting in a spectacular but very damaging fall.
In extreme pain and unable to move, Jeff came to the rescue and got Ann into the car and off to the Emergency Room. Five hours, and many Xrays and CT scans later, the extent of her injuries was still unclear but a couple appointments and casts later it turns out Ann sustained a torn ligament and fibula twist fracture and could be off her feet for up to 3 months.
The accident has left our fearless leader in pain and on crutches making it challenging or impossible for her to do the simplest of living skills such as shower, dress, drive, or carry a cup of coffee to the kitchen table. Furthermore, it has a HUGE impact on the rescue since Ann typically spends a good portion of her day outside caring for the animals.
With Ann house-bound, several volunteers have stepped up to temporarily fill in with feeding, watering, grooming, mucking and generally overseeing the rescue’s current long-ear residents.
A hearty thanks to SYA volunteers Pomme, Andria Elliot, and employee Hannah Exel who have picked up the slack.
Such a setback going into winter is hard and SYALER certainly can’t expect volunteers to continue to show up every day for the next 12 weeks as the days get colder, the pathways get icy and more snow falls. We need to compensate people who are willing to work to keep the animals safe and healthy, but paying for extra barn help is a big unexpected drain on SYA’s budget.
I am therefore appealing to you today to GO to the DONATE button and consider giving whatever you can to assure we keep the farm purring while Ann heals.
Many thanks!
-Elise Paffrath
SYALER board member
p.s. This injury is a tough blow to our intrepid CEO in part because she’s being forced to accept a lot of help (not something she’s always good at), but Ann will be so grateful and relieved knowing that extra workers are being compensated through the long haul ahead.
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
November 26, 2018
Ears the news…
The snow is gently falling and I am looking up from my computer to see mules eating their hay out in the pasture. It’s so peaceful and makes my heart feel very full. I am fortunate to be able to do what I do. I would not however, be able to do it without the help of our team of thoughtful and generous donors. Yeah, it’s that time of year once again, when I need to reach out to ask for help to meet our year end fund raising goal.
We had many sick animals over the course of the year, requiring numerous vet visits and a lot of prescription and non-prescription medications. We have had our two big draft mules Nellie and Luke here for a year now and they sure do put away the groceries! We are all happy to see them in excellent body condition and good behavioral health. We know the perfect home will come along for them and we are more than happy to have them here until it does.
Due to these facts we need YOU to help us now, please. Our fund raising goal for this year is $35,000. This amount will ensure a barn full of hay and plenty of grain and supplements. It will allow for routine veterinary calls as well as an emergency should one occur, and to just keep up with the day to day expenses of running a rescue; vehicle maintenance, repairs to buildings and machinery, little things, like ensuring we have a professionally cleaned porta potty for visitors! There is so much involved and like all things the prices of what is needed keeps going up.
You will be hearing from me frequently in the upcoming weeks as I ask you to please check under those couch cushions, raid the piggy bank, and do what you can to help us meet our goal. Thank you!
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
P.S. — The donkeys need YOU! The mules need YOU! Please take part in helping us reach our goal!! You can make your gift donation right now by using the donate button in the left column!!!
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
October 26, 2018
Ears the news…
What a difference a day makes….waking up to snow on the ground was a surprise. The donkeys and mules were lined up so their bodies were like solar panels; all soaking in the warmth as the sun rose in the sky.
I am happy to say that in the twelve years I’ve been placing animals through the rescue, only twice have I had to reclaim animals from the home in which I had placed them. Since close to 400 animals have been placed in homes in that time frame I am able to take it in stride, though I cannot say it does not bother me greatly. Upon doing a site visit to a home which agreed to make changes necessary to provide what two draft mules would need recently, we sadly found that not only had the changes not been made, but the animals condition was not acceptable, so the decision was made to take them back. This is not a pleasant experience for either side. Although unpleasant I will do what needs to be done as I am first and foremost an advocate for the animals in my care. I will work with potential adopters by offering advice, suggestions, and even hands on help if needed, but if adopters are not going to abide by the rules and regulations stipulated in the adoption contract they sign, I will do whatever is necessary for the wellbeing of the animals. Thankfully this does not happen often as it very stressful for all involved. I am happy to say the two we brought back are doing well and are ready to be adopted.
We have quite a few animals available for adoption right now. The two draft mules who came back are a sweet bonded pair. We have several donkey pairs as well as two single mules. All of them would be very happy with a family to dote on them. I love having them here but know they will be so much happier with their own people.
I am looking forward to attending my sixth annual Donkey Welfare Symposium at UC Davis Vet School next weekend. I love the opportunity to be around like minded people who want to learn how to best care for their animals. The chance to learn from veterinarians, equine dentists, farriers, behaviorists many of whom work in third world countries on the donkeys there is an amazing experience. It’s a blast to hook up with friends whom I see only at this venue, once a year. I will get home and have a couple of weeks to prepare for Equine Affaire which is another fun gig to look forward to and at which I hope to see a lot of you.
The water heaters have been pulled out of storage and electric tea pots at the ready for preparing hot mashes as the weather changes. I hope all of you and your long eared buddies are having a wonderful fall and that the winter will be kind to us all.
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
Breaking News!!
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
NEWS FLASH !!
We are very happy and grateful to once again be the recipients of a matching donation challenge. This could not have come at a better time for us. I think due to the fact that winter will not be far away, we have started to get a lot of calls about animals needing to be surrendered. This means we will need more resources to ensure having enough hay on hand. We have every animal that comes in seen by a veterinarian which can and does quickly turn in to a large bill. We will need all the help we can get!
Every donation made between now and November 1, 2018 will be matched dollar for dollar up to $5,000.00!
By taking advantage of this incredibly generous offer you can double the impact of your donation. Doing so will help every donkey, mule, and hinny we care for.
We are so blown away by this act of incredible generosity by donors who wish to remain anonymous.
Please do what you can!
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
July 28, 2018
Ears the news…
It’s hard to believe that July is nearly over. Time flies!
I’m happy to report that adoptions have FINALLY started picking up. It was slow going for a while. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when an animal will be chosen. I am pretty fussy about where the animals go and will not adopt out a singleton donkey unless they will be going to a home with an existing donkey. I will not adopt donkeys or mules to be used as guardian’s so I am sure both of those policies eliminate a fair number of potential adopters.
Our little Esme’ went to her new home this last week as did Zelda and Sassy. John Henry, our big, beautiful clown of a mule has found a SUPER home with a donkey and a horse as companions. Luke & Nelly and Oliver & Nellie have moved to their new homes recently too. Hope and Ivy’s new home is almost ready for them.
Our annual calendar photo contest has begun!
Submit your photos of your favorite Long Ears for the 2019 Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue Calendar Photo Contest!
New for 2019–No entry fee! You may submit three photos per email address, free of charge, but if you can, please consider donating a bale of hay –only $5.00– to our longear friends at the rescue when you submit your entries. Entries close August 20.
Click here for Entry requirements and instructions.
Email any questions to Joan Gemme at syacalendar2019@gmail.com.
All photos that fit the requirements for content, quality, and size will be included in the calendar, and the favorites of our volunteer judges will win the coveted month and cover locations!
We can’t wait to see your best shots of your long ear friends! We hope to have the calendar available at our annual show, which will be held on October 13th at the usual spot, Millot Green in Alstead, NH.
Volunteerism takes on many forms. I am very grateful to friend, and volunteer Andria Elliot for being my travel buddy on transport missions. I do not feel safe transporting alone, “just in case”. It’s great to have a co-pilot to help spot wildlife crossing, work with GPS, and generally oversee my driving! We are on the same drink coffee, find restroom schedule, so it works out great!
Mike Dunham deserves another shout out as well as he continues to work patiently with the animals, teaching them new skills to make them more adoptable. I would be remiss to leave Hannah Exel out of my thanks as she has been studying hard and has become such a wonderful trainer. I am so proud of her and the work she is doing. SYA is so lucky to have her. Annie Kellam is still spoiling the animals rotten…thankfully! I am grateful to all who help.
If anyone locally wants to help out we sure could use help with “manure management” a few days a week. Yeah, I mean scooping poop! It’s really quite contemplative work and gives one a bit of a work out! If you are interested please contact hannahexel@icloud.com if you would like to help.
A huge thank you to all who are members of our Take A Long Ear to Lunch program. Your support is so very important and helps us enormously. We are grateful!!!
Enjoy the duration of the sauna like conditions and remember to hug your long ears…
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
June 23, 2018
Ears the news…
Well, May certainly flew right by! Thank you to all who attended our Open House. We had a great day weather wise and had a great turn out. It was wonderful to see old friends and to make new ones. The adoption of two donkeys resulted from the day! Our friends Jessica, Larkin, Emerson, and Nicole from Empowered Equestrians did their usual FABULOUS job of introducing people to the joys and power of training using positive reinforcement.
It’s hard to believe that we are more than half way through June already. It seems like little Sassy was just born but she is on her way to her three month birthday. She gets cuter and sassier by the day. I am surprised that she and her mom have not yet been adopted. They will make a great addition to someone’s barn yard.
We have a lot of animals available for adoption right now. Having bonded pairs makes it more difficult to place animals but we do what is best for the animals and a singleton donkey is not a happy camper. Donkeys need another donkey as a buddy for their behavioral and social needs to be properly met. For that reason we only adopt out donkeys in pairs unless it is to a home that already has a donkey. Yes, many donkeys live with goats or horses as companions, but there are published studies validating the fact that when given the choice donkeys will choose another donkey as their companion.
We also do not adopt out donkeys to be used as guardians. I get a lot of “yeah buts” on this one. Yes, sometimes it can work with the larger donkeys. Most often it does not. I once took in a donkey jennet that had been a guardian to a herd of goats for 17 years. She was with the kids when they were born every year. The year I took her in she had killed all the kids that were born that season. Why? Who knows? I have heard stories like this repeatedly and have taken in other donkeys due to similar, though not on such a large scale, situations. Thinking of using a mini donkey as a protector is just silly. I have seen donkeys horribly wounded by a single dog. Those of you who know me, know that I will always do what is best for the animals in my care. If some folks don’t like my rules, or me for enforcing them, I’m ok with that.
I would like to officially welcome Meg Dionne to “Team SYA”. Meg does an unbelievable job of cleaning up after these manure making animals. When she is done cleaning a paddock it looks as if it has been vacuumed!!! She is awesome, has a wonderful sense of humor and if I dare say, is just a bubble off plumb, so she fits in perfectly! We love her!
I would be remiss if I did not mention how thankful I am to Mike Dunham, Annie Kellam, Andria Elliot, and of course my right hand gal Hannah. I could not do this without them. I am also, as always, deeply grateful to those who donate so generously to make sure we are able to give the best possible care to the donkeys and mules we take in to the rescue.
Get outside. Hug your long ears, and enjoy these lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
May 16, 2018
Ears the news…
Oh the glorious month of May! It’s my favorite month of the year. Everything seems hopeful and full of promise. The mud has been drying up nicely and the mules are shedding like crazy. I love seeing the birds take off with bits of the mule’s hair to use in their nest building. The donkeys in typical donkey style, take their time shedding their winter coat. We like to joke that donkeys start to shed in August and start growing a winter coat in September.
I am totally blown away by the generosity of all who responded to my request for donations to the rescue for my birthday, May 4th. WOW! Thank you VERY much. Some days it’s difficult to stay in a positive mind set, then “Team SYA” comes to my rescue. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. This rescue is my passion, and I could not be doing what I am without the support from all of you.
We are having an Open House on June 2nd from noon to four. I hope to see lots of our familiar friends and meet new ones. Please come meet Zelda and watch her adorable foal Sassafrass, a.k.a Sassy, run laps around the paddock. You may just fall in love and they are ready to be adopted!!
We have two lovely draft mules for you to meet as well as an ASSortment of donkeys of varying sizes and colors. Our great friends from Empowered Equestrians will be here doing clicker training demos throughout the afternoon. If you are not familiar with training using positive reinforcement this will be a great chance to familiarize yourself with this method and Jessica and friends will be happy to answer any questions you may have. We will have our merchandise building open and snacks of course! The address is 23 Saw Mill Road, South Acworth, NH 03607.
Adoptions have started picking up and while their leaving is always bittersweet, I love knowing that animals will have their own special person as their own. We have a waiting list of animals to come in so please spread the word if you know of anyone looking to add some long ears to their family! Adopting two animals makes room for two more to come in and find their new people.
Thanks to the hard work of Hannah Exel, the one who puts the “savior” in Save Your Ass, the animals and the farm are looking pretty great. I look forward to sharing it with you at our open house. ‘Til then…
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
25 MUSTANGS SAVED FROM SLAUGHTER – 25 MINIATURE HORSES AT RISK – CAN WE SAVE THEM? CHILLY PEPPER ON STANDBY
The following is from Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang:
THE CLOCK IS TICKING on 25 new lives. – 25 Miniatures are at risk of dying, and we need your help to save them…
We came together and saved 25 more mustangs this last week. Thank You for making that possible. Out of those 25, we brought home 4 orphans and a badly injured mare and baby. Thankfully the extended network of folks came together to help.
As always, Chilly Pepper incurred ALL THE COSTS to rescue them, but once again they are OFF OUR BOOKS, and safe and sound until they find their forever homes.**
Unfortunately with those 25 we incurred some hefty vet bills. I just saw one of them this morning. This bill is $1972.85, which is pretty much going to wipe out most of the budget.
We also have another vet bill for emergency care for Valentine. Matt came home to find him in desperate need of vet care, and although the Vet did every thing she could my beautiful boy died. It is heartbreaking to be gone for so long and have a horse get sick and not make it. We saved 25, but my beautiful boy is gone.
I RECEIVED ANOTHER EMERGENCY CALL YESTERDAY – We are on standby for 25? miniature horses, similar to the ones shown above. Their lives are at risk, but unless we raise enough funds we will not be able to answer the call. We spent thousands of dollars to save the last 25, and we are simply tapped out.
We have a few days to a week or so? We are on standby for when the miniatures are all rounded up and we can pick them up. But it will not happen if we do not raise funds to cover the rescue.
The rescue work we do is very expensive, but Y’ALL ARE DIRECTLY SAVING LIVES! Matt and I are willing to keep doing the work, but as of right now the budget is tapped. We have been getting lots of kids placed, and that also makes a huge difference in the feed bill. We definitely DO NOT hoard horses, and most all of your donations go to saving more lives, as opposed to feeding “stored horses”.
PLEASE HELP if you can. We will ONLY BE ABLE TO SAVE THE MINI’S if folks open their hearts. We are ALSO STANDING BY for more babies. The roundups are happening as I type this and that means lots more orphans. As we sit right now, there are simply not enough funds to save more lives.
We are driving thousands of miles while we save and place these horses. Our rescue spent over $8000 just in fuel last year, but YOU SAVED hundreds of lives. So I am asking folks to help us keep saving more lives if you can.
Below meet our little Bear. She is a yearling, and the size of the 3 week old babies. She is one of the 25 you just saved.
If you want to help You can go to You Caring – to help us keep saving lives..
You can go to Paypal
if you would like to help these horses.
You can donate via check at Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, P.O. Box 190 Golconda, NV 89414
You can also donate via credit card by calling Palomino at 530-339-1458.
NO MATTER HOW BIG OR HOW SMALL – WE SAVE THEM ALL!
SAVING GOD’S CRITTERS – FOUR FEET AT A TIME
Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, WIN Project – Rescue & Rehab
We are now part of the WIN Organization
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
YALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
April 24, 2018
Ears the news…
To quote the Beatles, “It’s been a long cold, lonely winter” but FINALLY! “Here Comes the Sun”! It has been the winter from H. E. double hockey sticks. I have never been so grateful for the arrival of spring.
The winter seriously tapped our finances and our morale. We had several sick animals, we lost a dear donkey named Merlin to colic. His buddy of 14 years Rupert, also colicked badly and we thought we were going to lose him, but with good veterinary intervention and the commitment of dedicated care givers he rallied. We got him a donkey buddy to help him overcome his depression over the loss of his best friend and now Rupert and Mr. Peabody are thriving and are ready to be adopted. Rupert was also battling with his chronic equine “asthma” while being so sick from the colic episode. He is on daily medication that he will need forever so his potential adopter needs to have the financial resources to ensure he will get his medication.
On April 2nd we welcomed Zelda’s foal after an arduous wait! She gave us a healthy baby girl. We had a name the baby contest which was won by Barbara Henon whose name was chosen by randomly selecting a name from a bucket containing all the female choices. The little one has been aptly named Sassafrass, a.k.a. Sassy, and man oh man does she live up to her name! She is one sassy little one. She zips around her paddock, jumping over hay piles and the other day, right over the back of her mom who was trying to nap in the sun. Sassy is a sweet heart. She is already learning via clicker training, to pick up all four feet for the reward of a wither scratch.
As you know about me, if you have been reading this newsletter for any length of time, I HATE having to ask for help. Call me stubborn <G> but I seem to think I should be able to take care of things myself. Well, REALITY SLAM! I simply cannot, which is why I am reaching out for help yet again. This winter took its toll on our finances. We needed a lot of veterinary care, medications, special diets and for some reason hooves have been growing like crazy which necessitates more frequent farrier visits. It feels like it’s always something. One step forward; three steps back. The reality of financially managing an equine rescue can be mind boggling at times.
Our contract states that if an adopter can no longer keep the animal(s) they adopt from SYA, they must come back to the rescue. I want to know for sure that no animal we have helped will ever end up in the slaughter pipe line. We have had three families have to surrender multiple animals of late, due to no fault of their own, aging, illness, financial issues, life changes. Of course we are happy to take these animals back in to the fold, but it’s more financial strain.
f you have not already, please check out our Take a Long Ear to Lunch program. By donating any amount you chose on a monthly basis you can feel great knowing you are helping the animals every day. Any way you can help out will be very gratefully appreciated.
Thank you to all of you who are already supporters. I am on beyond grateful to you.
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
February 9, 2017
Ears the news…
I don’t know about you folks but January presented enough challenges to do me just fine for the rest of the winter. I am enjoying looking out at the falling snow as I write this, but enough already with the ice and subzero temperatures. It’s wonderful having the light changing and lasting longer day by day. I need the encouragement from Mother Nature!
We have a lot to look forward to at Save Your Ass…the birth of Zelda’s foal for one thing. No, she has still not had it! We have no idea of when she was bred, but to the best of our knowledge her baby “should” come this month. I sleep with my iPad under my pillow so every time she moves the barn camera sends me a message letting me know. No, I haven’t been getting much sleep for the last month or so, but hopefully I will be aware of the foaling when the time does finally come. We are still accepting name suggestions in our “Help Zelda Name Her Foal!!” contest…
For each $5. donation to SYA, please make a name suggestion. We will keep the boy’s names and gril’s names separate and after birth Zelda will pull an entry from whichever collection is appropriate. If your name suggestion is chosen, Zelda will be sending you a plush “Borden” from our merchandise herd.
If you choose to make your donation by check, please note your name suggestion in the memo field and mail the check to:
Ann Firestone
Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue
Broomtail Farm
23 Saw Mill Road
South Acworth, NH 03607
If you choose to make your donation by PayPal, use our donate button below, and just note your name suggestion in the comments area.
Zelda thanks you in advance for your participation!!
We are excited to announce that the 2018 Cabin Fever online auction is scheduled for the end of March, dates to be announced soon!
Would you please consider supporting the rescue with a donation of an item or service? Past donations (which do not have to be donkey or animal related) have included gift certificates of all kinds, antiques, hand-made items, vacations, food, farm produce, jewelry, books, art, animal training, musical instruments, tack, and much more. They all add to the fun and excitement of the bidding, and the proceeds help to cover the rehabilitation, medical, and nutritional needs of the mules and donkeys that are in our care. The value of your donation plus shipping costs is tax deductible, and we will send a receipt for your tax records.
If you are interested in donating an auction item or service this year–thank you! All you need to do is send us the following info by March 5, to syaauction2018@gmail.com
1. Item Name
2. Item Description
3. Photo or logo
4. Link to URL, if you’d like.
5. Value (include estimated shipping, please)
6. Suggested Starting Price
7. Contact information
We ask that you be willing to ship your item to the winning bidder.
If you have any questions you can also call Joan at 413-559-8414.
Thank you so very much for your support of our auction and the SYA rescue!
We all need something to look forward to in order to keep our wits about us while making it through the winter so mark your calendars for the auction and our Clicker Training Clinic with Jessica Gonzalez of Empowered Equines on April 14th, rain date April 15th. This promises to be a great day. See more info on SYA’s facebook page and on the website. Please send me an email to register:awfirestone@gmail.com
Please keep the up-dates on the animals you have adopted coming, as well as photos and testimonials. I love hearing from you all.
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
Dear SYALER friends,
It’s another cold one today but I am feeling very grateful… I’m not living on Mt. Washington, in Northern NH where the temperature was MINUS 78 degrees this morning!!! I’m also very grateful for all our wonderful supporters who have already helped us get closer to our end of the year fund raising goal of $35,000.
I’m writing to encourage any of you reading this who have not yet made a donation to please do what you can to help. Reach underneath those couch cushions and send what you find! Every bit really does make a difference. Our supporters are the best. I have become friends with so many who have adopted from us, who donate to us and even those who just call for advice in dealing with issues they may be having with their donkey or mule. Making these friends is a huge bonus of the job.
We currently have one, fantastic, full time paid employee. But we have reached the point in our growth that in order to sustain the level of care the animals require and deserve, another part time employee is needed. With the new tax laws taking effect donation write offs will be subject to change. So NOW is the time!
Every penny we receive goes toward the care of the animals. Again, I am very, very grateful for the funds raised thus far. Please, on this last day of the year, do whatever you can do to help us continue our mission.
I wish everyone all good things in the coming year. May we see more peace, love, and kindness toward each other as well as our animal friends.
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
Good Deep Freeze Afternoon SYALER Friends,
Mother Nature has offered us the splendor of a snow-covered landscape and the glinting beauty of ice-coated trees this final week of 2017. But she is also challenging us with these continued days of sub-zero temperatures.
Doing anything outdoors right now is difficult if not dangerous. Seeing to the daily needs of numerous rescue donkeys and mules in this extreme cold is downright dreadful.
There is good reason to worry more about the herd as this bitter cold can cause colic among other things. Ann must venture out regularly to make sure the heated water troughs are always topped off. She maintains separate heated water sources containing electrolytes and in these brutal, arctic days keeps hay in front of every animal 24 hours a day. Just the three draft mules alone are going through half a dozen bales of hay a day at $5.50 each!
Ann and Hannah have also been making hot mashes for the long ears consisting of herbal-tea-soaked hay stretcher pellets and a handful of black oil sunflower seeds. All of this plus the usual chores requires Ann and her help to be outside more often for long stints and it is NOT easy.
On top of the cold and extra weather-related tasks, yesterday the farm tractor seized up and is currently awaiting pick up by the “tractor ambulance.” Who knows what THAT will cost??! Then one of the big water heaters died with a nearly full tank of water, the barn camera kicked the bucket and the “bad ass” mules ripped the big, heavy door off of the tack room! In warmer weather these things would be annoying, maybe even somewhat humorous. When you’re working outdoors on a windy 12 degrees below zero day, they are a nightmare.
Suffice it to say that this severe weather is sapping the Save Your Ass coffers and sucking the life out of Ann and her workers. We REALLY need your financial help right now!
I know that Ann is sick with worry about the animals in these severely cold conditions. Knowing that donations are coming in so there will be enough hay in the barn and enough money in the budget to fix the tractor will help the animals, help Ann worry less, and help ALL of us who care about these noble long-ears great and small.
You still have TWO days to make a tax deductible donation to ensure we can provide the SYALER rescue animals with what they need as well as what the humans need to keep things running smoothly.
Let’s shoot for the Hay-O-Meter to reach $20,000 by midnight tomorrow! Pitch in whatever you can. It all makes a difference.
Thank you and a hearty Happy New Year 2018 to each of you.
-Elise Paffrath
SYALER board member
Donations can be made by using the “Donate” button in the left column, on our website: http://saveyourassrescue.org/donate.html, by sending a check to SYALER, 23 Saw Mill Road, South Acworth, NH 03607 or by using the “Donate” button on our Facebook page.
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
Ears the news…
I hope everyone had a lovely, relaxing Thanksgiving. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. Thanks to you, our loyal contributors, Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue has found great new homes for 36 animals so far this year! We exist to help long ears in need and your financial gift makes this possible.
a lazy day at the rescue
Your donation is very important to us as it offers immediate resources that go directly to the current needs of the animals and the rescue itself. We have one, amazing paid farm hand, everything else is done by volunteers.
Hannah with her assistant, Daisy… sporting the shades.
Your gift of $500.00 will make a long term impact on the animals in our care. Please send a donation today to help us meet our annual fund raising goal of $35,000.00. You, our loyal supporters are the reason we celebrated our tenth year of running Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue as a 501 c-3 non-profit donkey and mule rescue this September. We could not do what we do without YOU!
Please take part in making this year’s fund raiser a success. You can mail a check to SYALER, 23 Saw Mill Road, South Acworth, NH or make a payment via PayPal by clicking on the DONATE button.
I thank you very much in advance.
Warm regards,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
SYALER eNewsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
Ears the news…
I apologize for the lack of newsletters. Between heading off to CA for the Donkey Welfare Symposium, coming home just long enough to unpack, wash my clothes and repack. I was then off to set up and (wo)man our booth at Equine Affaire along with great helpers Jennifer Molnar, Pamela Simmons, Joan Gemme, and Mike Dunham. As always it was great to see many old friends who stop by every year to see what’s new for merchandise and to share stories of their donkey friends, many of whom were adopted from SYA! I also look forward to meeting new friends every year at this exhausting, but fun event.
Just before leaving I had a call about a very sad donkey named Sal. Sal’s person suffers from mental illness and had left his home for parts unknown leaving poor Sal behind. A kind neighbor called to see if Save Your Ass could help. Of course we were happy to take him in. This poor fellow had not had his hooves trimmed in a very long time. They were sadly overgrown and misshapen.
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Sal is a sweetheart of a donkey. Even though he must have been very uncomfortable, he came in just as loving as can be. We let him settle in a bit and spoiled him with lots of love and attention. He was just seen by our veterinarian who gave him his vaccinations and a clean bill of health. Our farrier was here and gave him a fabulous trim, so he is once again walking like a “normal” donkey rather than one wearing high heels!
On top of it all, he met his new person this week and will be going to his forever home next weekend. A very happy ending for a formerly very sad donkey.
It is due to the generosity and kindness of supporters like you that we are able to take animals like Sal in to the rescue, rehab them, and then happily send them off to start a wonderful new phase of their life.
I am hopefully optimistic that with your help we can reach our end of the year goal of raising $35,000. to ensure that we are able to give every animal that comes to the rescue all the help it needs to get started on the next part of their journey.
I thank you in advance for your belief in me and the work all of us at Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue do to help long ears in need.
chEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
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URGENT HELP NEEDED! – CHILLY PEPPER ON STANDBY FOR UP TO 50+ FOALS
The following is from Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang:
Well they just keep coming. I received an urgent call last night about 5 foals ready to ship up in Washington State. I spoke with the gentlemen this morning and he will be calling in the next few days to arrange a time for us to pick them up. (Providing we can raise the funds necessary to keep saving these lives.) We are also on standby from our other folks in WA as well.
The larger number of babies, which at this point is 30 – 60 weanlings, will need to be picked up in CA, by September 17 or around that time. As usual in our world, there are no “for sures” with the exception of the fact that there will be a very large number of babies to save. We won’t know how many or how much help there will be. These babies lives will be at stake so we are hoping that y’all are on board to save them. At this time, we are really strapped from the last batch of 49 Yakama kids and the orphans from NV.The gelding of the stallions was not quite covered and the total bill was around $3300+. This included Nya’s vet visit and her blood draw.Unfortunately the wilder ones generate so much adrenaline that they require larger amounts of medication, and that medication is extremely expensive.
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On the plus side of success however, you have once again “done the impossible”. ALL the stallions (now geldings) will be heading to Idaho and many of them already have their forever homes lined up. This is only possible due to the love and support y’all have showed for these amazing animals.
What will happen with the larger number of foals: We will be able to commit to as many as we can afford to transport, get blood work done, and be able to care for. These babies will need special munchies, and some of them may still need milk supplements. That is really expensive. However, many of them are older and will simply need some good grain and hay. But winter is coming and we cannot commit to horses we cannot properly care for.
It is not a space issue, but a financial one. We simply cannot fund this rescue from our rescue without lots of help.
The option for these babies if they are not adopted is not a very happy one. From what I understand they would be released back into the wild but without their moms or a band to protect them. Coming right before winter I believe that would be a death sentence. There is also a possibility that ALL the babies would come to Chilly Pepper in NV on their way to other rescues. However, that has to be fully funded as we cannot feed them “air” if funding did not come through.
Unfortunately, there are more horses than homes right now, but if everyone who had the ability stepped up and was willing to take on one or two, it would be a minimal task.
“The Plan’. IF, WE CAN RAISE ENOUGH FUNDS TO RESPONSIBLY SAVE THESE BABIES, the following will happen. (As Far As We Know LOL)
Matt and I would pick up the babies and take them to our old place in CA. We still have the nursery and the outside foal room as well as lots of shelter available for these babies. Then we would have to get a blood test for “Coggins” prior to bringing them to NV. It would take approximately 4 trips from the pick up point to Shingletown and about 2 hours each one way trip when loaded.
Then all the babies would need to be vetted and have their blood drawn.
Once the blood test results were in, we would begin transporting the babies to our facility in NV. However, again we simply cannot take any of these foals on without having a realistic and responsible budget to work with.
Worst case scenario, we would be looking at approximately 5,000 + miles to pick up the kids in WA and to pick up the babies. If we are close to the max number, we would take 4 round trips to Shingletown and then once we had blood work, health certificates etc. we would head back to NV. We are down to an older “back up truck” and we can haul 15 babies per load, give or take depending on size and health.
So it is once again AN EMERGENCY SITUATION for these babies. We are praying many of them are adopted prior to the pick up date, but have been asked to be standing by to help as many of the ones that we can.
So we are looking at up to 60 lives at stake. I am hoping folks want us to save them and are willing to help. We need adopters, sponsors, donors and lots and lots of prayers. Once again this is an overwhelming task that could be considered a logistical nightmare. OR, it can be a task where everyone steps up and together we get it done. After sorting all the 900+ kids in SD and so many people coming together to take on one or two, this seems like it should be so much easier. If 60 people stepped up each and every baby could have a wonderful home.
PLEASE, let’s save these beautiful little lives and give them a chance to actually have a life.
We can not take on all the babies if there are no other rescues in line to help out. We will take the max we can based on the ability to provide care, feed and what they need until they find their new homes.
This really is an emergency and with so many little lives at stake I am confident that we can come together and make this happen. God bless and thank you from all the little ones waiting for their trip to safety.
I really do not enjoy fundraising, but it is for the horses and the only way we can save them. It will cost thousands, but together we CAN “git ‘er done”!
I honestly was hoping to not even be involved, but once again God put it in front of me so we will do our best, as once again we come together with our Chilly Pepper Family.
If you want to help You can go to You Caring – to help us keep saving lives..
You can go to Paypal – Palominodancer@yahoo.com or go to www.chillypepper.org
if you would like to help these horses.
You can donate via check at Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, P.O. Box 190 Golconda, NV 89414
You can also donate via credit card by calling Palomino at 530-339-1458.
NO MATTER HOW BIG OR HOW SMALL – WE SAVE THEM ALL!
SAVING GOD’S CRITTERS – FOUR FEET AT A TIME
Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, WIN Project – Rescue & Rehab
_We are now part of the WIN Organization
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
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