Seriously, what’s not to love? They’re tenacious, strong, brave, sparse eaters, loyal, and smart.

Where my mother came from, the region of Dalmatia in today’s Croatia, the donkey, not the dog, is man’s best friend. It’s a rocky terrain, prone to dry summers, so an animal that can survive on sparse food and eat plants that horses and mules won’t (like nettles and thistles!) is an ‘economical’ choice. They’re not useful for plowing fields, but they are excellent beasts of burden, capable of carrying a good amount of weight on their sturdy backs.  In Dalmatia, sheep are the main herd animal that farmers raise. They’ll often send out a donkey with their flocks because the donkey will defend the sheep from wolves. Their loud braying sounds the alarm for their human protectors, but a donkey can take on a wolf and win. Their powerful legs can kill the predator with a single kick. The donkeys also are good leaders for the herd; they can be trained to learn when to return the flock home, based on the setting of the sun. Dalmatian peasants mourn the death of a donkey almost like a family member (we’re sentimental that way)

The donkey has African origins, and the onager or African wild ass still roams semi-desert and grassland areas of the continent. They spread to the Middle East, Central Asia and Southern Europe prior to their domestication, although human migrations in the Neolithic period spread them even faster. Many varieties of donkey exist, from the typical grey Abyssinian donkey, to the shaggy Poitou donkey of France, small sturdy Sicilian donkeys, and today, selectively bred miniature donkeys. You have no idea how badly I want a miniature donkey.

The donkey may have a reputation for stubbornness, and it’s a true trait. Donkeys will remember people who have wronged or hurt them, so stay on their good sides. Sadly, their stubbornness often leads people to be quite harsh with them, even abusive. There are few outlets for the protection of donkeys, but in Southern Ontario we are fortunate to have the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada in Guelph. They welcome visitors and volunteers, and host a summer “Donkey Days” festival. Worth a drive to Guelph some time.

So that’s my spiel about donkeys. I really do love these animals.