Spotted donkeys rescued as drought continues to pound North Texas

Last week the Humane Society of North Texas took custody of a herd of nearly 30 spotted donkeys. A Bridgeport, Texas breeder of the donkeys, considered a novelty by some, had become another in a long line of equine owners hit hard by the one-two punch of what the National Weather Service calls a “massive exceptional drought” and a depressed and uncertain economy. Near-record drought conditions in Texas have turned normally fertile pastures into barren, dusty rangeland incapable of sustaining livestock. Local farmers and ranchers struggle to survive, with many bringing in hay from out of state. But a market long on demand and short on supply, combined with the sky-high cost of transport, has doubled, tripled, and in some cases quadrupled hay prices. Reducing and liquidating herds, especially those that are not food-producing, has become a necessity and an all too common reality...more