Herman the miniature mixed gelding, who was with us for the year of 2019, succumbed to cancer in October of that year. He was a favorite with visitors and very sweet in disposition.
Herman was originally a wild Bureau of Land Management donkey and came to the sanctuary by way of a neighbor who had been caring for him. At his death, he was 11 years old.
After he showed a lack of hunger and thirst, we were syringe feeding him and watering him by hand. He grew weak and finally we visited several vet clinics in the area and wound up in the emergency unit at Texas A&M. The doctors there ran blood tests and did ultrasounds. They discovered large cancerous masses surrounding most of his major organs. We wanted so badly to take him home but the experts warned that he probably would not make the trip back without dying in the trailer so we kept him at the hospital where he was euthanized. Donkeys can hide illness very well till the very end, which was the case with Herman.
We loved him so much and we will miss him, as will family and volunteers.
