How the donkeys at UCR became our newest fascination

Date:

Recently, the donkeys at UCR have taken over everyone’s fascination in the Riverside area. Many have become obsessed with spotting these animals this year during the early months of fall quarter. The donkeys have always been present around Riverside, but they have lately become the newest talk of the town as many students changed from online to in-person classes. With more people on campus, a greater cult following has increased for the donkeys resulting in an official Instagram page, @donkeysatucr, whose first post was on Oct. 24 of this year.

The cute animals can be seen roaming around our school in hordes, especially around the new student on-campus apartments at North District. The donkeys are mainly located near the abandoned parking lot behind North District, where they are seen feeding in the grassy areas. They are also often seen strolling around the streets where people take the opportunity to roll down their car windows and greet the animals.

The donkeys have become UCR’s newest lovable animals on campus that can brighten anyone’s day, especially after enduring a long week of exams. To continue the spotting of these donkeys around UCR, we should take careful consideration of the treatment of these animals. It’s our responsibility to protect these animals that are trying to live their peaceful lives around our vast campus. To keep the donkeys out of harm’s way, students at UCR and the Riverside residents should take caution and treat these animals with kindness and respect. Just two weeks ago, four donkeys were unfortunately killed after a car collided with them. The devastating accident took place around Box Springs near Day Street and the 60 highway onramp, according to the @donkeysatucr Instagram account. Police officials were immediately called to report the incident.

There was one survivor, Baby Jordan, who was immediately rushed to the Social Equine Hospital for medical treatment. Doctors found that his X-rays had shown that he had been recently shot in the leg as well. Baby Jordan is, fortunately, recovering as many people donated to help provide him with milk and hay for a fast recovery. DonkeyLand is a nonprofit organization located in Colton, California. It is dedicated to saving and protecting the lives of donkeys so people can understand the value that these animals possess. Their Facebook page also lists the available numbers to call in case anyone confronts an emergency where a donkey is in need of help. You can visit their Facebook page for more information and to also make donations for donkeys in need. Their most recent post details another incident where a baby burro was found stuck in someone’s barbed-wire fence on Nov. 1. The baby, who is currently unnamed, was fortunately saved and is in need of donations to acquire milk and money for a visitation to the doctor. If you’d like to help out, feel free to send donations to save this baby burro.

It is truly devastating to hear about these tragedies, but it is heartwarming to see the Riverside community coming together to support both of these baby burros. Even if they are just donkeys, they are still precious animals that are protected and watched over by Riverside residents, namely, UCR students.

Whenever you spot a donkey on campus, whether it be at North District or on the streets, always make sure to respect the animal’s space. Donkeys are known to be gentle animals who are actually quite intelligent and know how to handle situations that may be fearsome. Generally speaking, the donkeys at UCR are quiet animals who mind their own business with their fellow companions.

The donkeys seem rather approachable when it comes to interacting with people. They are kind animals that we should continue to look after so that they feel safe on our campus. I would have never imagined donkeys roaming UCR’s grounds when I first came to campus, but they have become an everyday topic of conversation wherever I go. Due to their popularity increasing, it wouldn’t be surprising if sales for fresh produce rise. People who run across them will often offer treats, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, helping to create a bond with one another.

Many have had the opportunity to take selfies with these donkeys as well. The Instagram page has made sure to post daily content of these animals, with many posts including students feeding the donkeys or taking videos of them. It is a great way to show how to safely interact with these animals without coming off as dangerous to them. The official page also allows students to send in their favorite donkey posts for a chance to be featured on the account’s page.

Make sure to respect these animals when coming into contact with them. If you have a nice treat for them, don’t be afraid to offer it! Becoming friends with these donkeys can create a wholesome environment on campus and even feel therapeutic during stressful times. The donkeys at UCR are our friends, and they deserve to feel safe on our campus that they have chosen to roam around. Remember to treat them with kindness!

Brenda Jovel | Contributed

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe to The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

Popular

More like this
Related

Inside the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ raids: Emptied safes, dismantled electronics, gun-toting feds

It was a major show of force: Dozens of agents, some heavily armed, descending on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ estates in Los Angeles and Miami.

Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison

Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud on hundreds of thousands of customers that unraveled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world’s most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.

Why are so many dying in California jails?

More people are dying in California jails than they did before the pandemic, and it’s not because of COVID-19.

Why California Democrats are divided on retail theft bill

Legislators may be off for spring recess, but debates about their bills are still happening outside committee rooms.