Wild Burro Program and Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR)

Burros are rapidly overpopulating in the community leading to major challenges to the health and welfare of the burro population as well as our citizens that either live or frequent through the community. These challenges the community has been facing have led to numerous complaints and reports to the County requesting a call to action. Some of the reported complaints include destruction of private property in affected neighborhoods and traffic hazards for both residents and the burros. Additionally, reports of burros being threatened with being struck by vehicles or deadly encounters with other man-made objects have been consistently reported to the County. Due to numerous ongoing community complaints, fatalities due to traffic collisions, deaths and injuries to burros, and a lack of resources to handle these issues, the County began exploring options to address the overpopulation of its wild burro population and how best to resolve the issues reported to the County in the most effective and humane manner.

The County has been partnering with DonkeyLand for contracted burro castration services intermittently since 2019. In order to expand the initiative to better address the growing issue, the County drafted a Request for Applications (RFA) to obtain applications and proposals from qualified organizations for the provision of services to address the wild burro overpopulation issue. The RFA was released by January 2024, and closed on April 1, 2024, resulting in no successful bids. No application was received from either DonkeyLand or Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR) in response to this RFA.

In addition, community advocates recommended the County research and consider partnership with PVDR for wild burro rescue services. As the County’s intent was to expand resources to address the safety of its wild burros, residents and visitors, the County researched PVDR and initiated contact for discussion regarding available services. Following negotiations and internal reviews, a contract with PVDR was executed effective December 1, 2024, with a logistics meeting to discuss possible locations and operations held on December 9, 2024, prior to services initiating within the following days. Under this contract, PVDR provides all of the burro rescue services at no cost to the County, ensuring positive outcomes for our burros and resulting in a cost-effective solution for the County and its taxpayers.

The County holds a great value in obtaining the public’s trust in all aspects of work conducted on behalf of our constituents. While the County’s goal was to increase available resources to address the safety of its wild burro population, residents, and visitors as quickly and efficiently as possible with the approval and execution of each of these contracts, it was never intended to present a lack of transparency or communication with the community or partners. As concerns have been raised regarding lack of information shared leading to the recent actions under this project, communication will be provided to the community members regarding future actions on this project.

Prior contracts with DonkeyLand for castration services were approved and executed in October 2019, with three contract amendments executed in December 2019, April 2020, and December 2020, and the most recent contract approved and executed in May 2023. These contracts and amendments were approved and executed according to County policies and procedures. Similarly, the contract with Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR) was approved and executed according to County policies and procedures. Neither the contract with DonkeyLand, nor PVDR required presentation to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

PVDR is the largest organization of its kind in the United States, with over two decades of experience and facilities across the country. Its mission is to provide a safe and loving environment for burros. With a nationwide network of ranch facilities and satellite adoption centers, PVDR is a leader in rescue, sanctuary, adoption, and education for burros. PVDR is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, ensuring that they provide the highest level of care for these burros. PVDR is a California charity established approximately 25 years ago, which moved its headquarters in 2008 to be more centrally located in Texas to support its efforts as it grew into a national rescue, providing services in 48 states.

• Key Programs and Operations:
  • Wild Burro Project: Initiated in 2018, rescuing 500+ wild burros, including projects with federal agencies to remove burros from sensitive areas.
  • Sanctuary Project: Established in 2010, burros are placed in sanctuaries with herds of 20–150, ensuring ample space and regular care. Sanctuary burros are routinely evaluated, vaccinated, and dewormed.
  • Adoption Network: PVDR facilitates 600–1,000 adoptions annually through 26 Satellite Adoption Centers, ensuring adopters meet criteria and follow-ups maintain welfare. The process ensures that adopters meet all adoption criteria, and follow-up visits are conducted to maintain the welfare of the burros.
• Care and Facilities:
  • Comprehensive intake processes include health exams, Coggins testing, hoof trimming, and dental care.
  • Specialized paddocks cater to burros with medical needs, dietary requirements, or ongoing treatments. 
  • Permanent residents include burros with severe health issues or neglect histories, receiving lifelong care.
  • PVDR employs four veterinary technicians and partners with specialists, including dentists and veterinarians, to provide advanced care.
  • PVDR uses RFID chips to identify and track all burros under its care, ensuring easy access to their medical and location records.
• Additional Highlights:
  • PVDR educates the public through tours, a gift shop, and the Donkey Museum in Nevada.
  • Sanctuaries such as ranches in Texas and other states exemplify PVDR’s high standards, providing open space, seasonal grazing, and attentive care by dedicated owners.
  • Founded by Mark and Amy Meyers, PVDR’s rescue efforts are supported by documentary productions, books, and fundraising initiatives.
  • PVDR’s facilities, programs, and dedicated staff exemplify exceptional care, ensuring rescued burros are given the best possible care and life.

PVDR does not take money from any government agency, including the County, as it is funded solely by people who care about burros. PVDR also works with:

• National Park Service
• U.S. Military
• NASA
• Bureau of Land Management
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife
• U.S. Forestry Service
• Texas, California, and other State Law Enforcement agencies

The County maintains that all of its actions have been and are in full compliance with CA Senate Bill 371 and all other applicable laws and regulations, as well as the best interests of the wild burros, human population, and the environment. In regard to the question of burros being deemed unfit for release, the County has determined that all of the wild free-roaming burros captured are unfit for release to the community because of the location in which they are living – near residences, roads, railways, etc., overpopulation, and the threat to health and safety they would pose to both them and the general public should they be released and wander into traffic causing injury or death. In addition, some burros residing in these areas have been sustaining injuries caused by items such as trash, plastics, and cemetery vases becoming stuck to their hooves and legs. These situations often require human intervention and, in some cases, medical treatment to remedy. Burros have also been consuming harmful items, including trash and other debris, in neighborhoods, near roads, and at the landfill, posing further risks to their health.

Based on the contract provisions and legal liability issues, as well as issues related to overpopulation, once burros are trapped or captured by Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR), these burros become PVDR’s responsibility. The County no longer has authority or control as to the disposition of these burros. However, to ensure the safety, well-being and quality of life for our relocated burros, prior to transport and relocation of any burros from our area, County staff personally visited PVDR and reviewed its operations. Staff visited the PVDR headquarters in San Angelo, Texas, one of its sanctuary locations in Texas, one of its sites in Arizona, as well as the PVDR Donkey Museum in Nevada, and confirmed the care and wellbeing of burros at these sites.

No, the goal is not to remove all the burros from the unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County. Instead, the plan is to reduce the burro population to a manageable level to minimize incidents of injury and death. To address challenges with our burro population, they will be safely relocated to sanctuaries, where they can live free from the threat of vehicle collisions and other dangers created by human activities.

Although the County has yet to determine an ideal number of burros to remain wild in the local areas, research is underway to begin the process of evaluating the current wild burro population numbers in the area, identify partners to conduct a population survey, as well as plans for long-term solutions and maintenance of an ongoing burro population. Numbers of wild burros in the area, currently estimated at a minimum of a few thousand or more, are merely estimates as these animals are nomadic and move between various areas, and between counties, in addition to the wild burros located in other areas of the county.

No, the burros are not being relocated as part of any property development plan. The goal is to humanely capture the wild burros, provide necessary medical assessments and treatments, and then relocate them to safe sanctuaries. This ensures they can live their lives in a natural and secure environment, free from the dangers of traffic, harmful interactions, and other unsafe foods and activities.

Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR) uses self-catching baited traps at water sources, so burros are never chased, roped, or dragged, nor are helicopters or wrangler-mounted horses used. Capture activities took place during daytime hours, as light is required to complete these activities, in particular care, feeding, and watering the burros. PVDR staff would occasionally leave the location at or just after dusk, either after completing burro care or to drop off trailers at the secure site for use the next day. Upon capture, burros were kept at a secure County property chosen based on its available space and security to ensure the safety of these burros.

While two injured burros were captured in the Reche Canyon area to ensure their safety and treatment, PVDR’s activities were limited to supporting private property sites where routine burro activity was unwanted by the private property owners, as well as the County site on which PVDR evaluated, cared for, and then transported the captured burros. Although Reche Canyon residents expressed concern at burros being removed from their area, with the exception of the two injured burros requiring care, no other capture activities have taken place in that area.

PVDR will request permission and coordination with property owners for use of private property necessary for safe baiting and capture activities. Several private property owners requested assistance from PVDR and provided permission for baiting and capture activities.

Foals will not be separated from their mother. In addition, when it is evident that specific burros congregate together in groups, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR) keeps these burros together at capture and transport to its site.

Neither PVDR nor landfill or County staff observed any specific foal or signs of a foal in the area that the burros had been trapped or corralled.

No, the burros will not be shipped out of the country. Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR) maintains all of its locations and burros within the country and facilitates all adoptions within the country. In addition, for tracking purposes, all burros are given an RFID chip with a 15-digit number for identification purposes. Any burros with medical conditions or elderly burros requiring ongoing care are placed at PVDR’s main sanctuary location in San Angelo, Texas and will receive medical care for life. Any burro deemed too wild or aggressive for adoption or other human interaction will be placed in one of PVDR’s sanctuaries, where they will have the sense of freedom while still receiving the same medical care as those at its main facility. Elderly burros or other burros requiring ongoing dental or medical care and those with long-term issues reside and are cared for at the main PVDR facility where they are provided individualized diets, medical and dental care, and interactions to support their health and well-being.

PVDR does not auction any burros or other animals in their care. Depending on their needs, burros will either be placed in permanent sanctuaries, made available for private adoption through PVDR’s established application and agreement process, or if require ongoing dental, medical or long-term care, will reside at the main PVDR facility for individualized care and support for health and well-being.

PVDR takes every precaution to ensure the smooth and safe transport of burros, providing essential food, water, and care required during the process, while regularly monitoring their well-being throughout the journey to ensure a comfortable experience. Burros are provided additional space in the transport trailer by carrying at least two less than the capacity for each section, allowing burros the support of their herd near them with enough space to move about and get back up safely should they lay down. Frequent stops are made approximately every two hours throughout the transportation process to check on the animals, further ensuring their comfort and well-being.

No, burros under PVDR’s care will not be slaughtered. Captured burros undergo a thorough medical examination, and once cleared, they are transported to a PVDR-owned facility. Depending on their needs, burros will either be placed in permanent sanctuaries or made available for private adoption. Only in very specific circumstances, such as incurable contagious disease, does Peaceful Valley consider humane euthanasia. These decisions are made through the expertise of a large animal veterinarian in conjunction with applicable state laws.

To request adoption information, please visit donkeyadoption.org.

PVDR has a nation-wide adoption program, which includes a stipulation that adopted burros are returned to PVDR if the adopter can no longer care for them. PVDR also routinely checks on adopted burros to ensure their well-being and fit with the adoptive family.

• A total of 256 burros have been captured by Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (PVDR), and have since been evaluated, tested, cleared, humanely transported, and safely arrived at a PVDR site.
  • Prior to transport, some burros required special care, such as removing objects from their hooves (e.g., a cemetery vase).
  • Plastic trash bags and other harmful debris were found in the excrement of some burros, underscoring the dangers of environmental litter, and eating from trash cans in residential neighborhoods and the local landfill. Burros seeking food and water in residential areas, such as neighborhoods, cemetery, etc., can also be a sign of overpopulation and dwindling natural resources or competition with other wild animals for food and water in the area.
  • No burros have been euthanized during this process.
  • PVDR has provided an accounting of each of the 256 burros relocated and has provided an update as burros were moved through their process.
  • Following relocation of the burros, two of the females gave birth to healthy foals, resulting in the addition of two new burros to the group, which were included in the current list.
• With the relocation of these 256 burros, the initial wild burro rescue effort with PVDR has been completed. Efforts are now paused to evaluate additional long-term solutions to support both the burros and the local community, research resources, build community involvement, and foster strong local partnerships.

• A new contract has been proposed to DonkeyLand, for their consideration.
• The County aims to reach a balance of burros remaining in the wild to ensure the health and safety of the remaining burros, while also ensuring the health and safety of the local community and those who frequently commute through the Reche Canyon area. Collaboration with DonkeyLand in evaluating long-term solutions to burro population management and education to the public on this issue has been proposed to DonkeyLand in recent communications.

• Public Health is working with the Public Works Department to develop signage discouraging feeding and interaction with wild burros to help keep them away from roadways, neighborhoods, and businesses. In addition, discussion has been initiated with Public Works regarding the creation of a mobile application that will allow residents to report issues or concerns regarding individual situations with the wild burros in their communities. This application will provide the County real-time information to address urgent needs, supporting the safety of burros and the community.
• Educational materials are being created to highlight the dangers of feeding and interacting with wildlife, specifically wild burros. These will be shared online and via social media.
• The County has heard and understands the concerns of community members and the desire for the County to find local solutions and partnership with local organizations. To ensure continued local partnership and collaboration, a proposed contract has been provided to DonkeyLand on January 9, 2025, and email and verbal communications regarding provisions within the contract and additional services in support of the wild burros have been in process since.

For additional information and resources, visit the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue page.