Forest - The Michelago Main Street Donkey Needs a Doctor!

Hee-Ah...Hee-Ah...Heeeee-Ah...

Heeeee-Haaaaaww!

That's the sound you'll hear while getting your coffee at the General Store, in Michelago. Forrest, waiting for her carrot. Or for her pug pyjamas to be put on.

Forrest needs an operation and we need the communities help to make that possible. Brony has been apart of the Michelago community for over 20 years. She's the one that rocks up when you hit that kangaroo on the highway, needed it euthanized and the joey taken care of. She is the one collecting donations and distributing rations pack throughout our bushfires and comforting our families that have been in motor vehicle accidents along the Monaro, as far back as the Tee Tree Fires in 2009. Brony was the first female volunteer in NSW to receive her 10 year long service medal for the NSW Fire Brigade, was a long-standing member of the MRCA for many years, ran the community hall, and is constantly looking out for her community and ALL it's critters. But, sadly, caring doesn't come cheap, and Brony's countless hours, days, and long nights have always been volunteered.

Forrest is a rescue donkey. Brony saved her from a farm where Forrest was mistreated, not given medical attention and severely overbred, with little success. Overbreeding involves breeding an animal more than its body can safely handle resulting in detrimental health effects to the mother. This also led to an incredibly sad, traumatized, beaten and bruised 'Jenny' (the term for a female donkey).

On rescue, Forrest refused a bath, was petrified of people and became aggressive towards the other livestock, out of fear. There were many tears and second guesses for the first few months of Forrests new placement. Would she recover? Could we give her the home and love she deserved? Was she too traumatised for rehabilitation?

Fast forward 12 months and you have the village sweetheart. The sweetest, most routine orientated, protector of the herd. Forrest became accustomed to her new home, family and loving owner. Brony worked tirelessly to get Forrests health and well-being back to normal. This involved a lot of time, money and some very big, out of pocket dental operations.

Unfortunately, after all of this, Forrest was diagnosed with a pyometra. Pyometra is a serious and potentially life-threatening infection of the uterus that causes it to fill with bacteria and pus.

If the purulent exudate continues to be produced and the cervix is closed the uterus will continue to fill up to the point where it will eventually not be able to stretch anymore and will rupture into the abdomen. Without the operation, Forrest will need to be euthanised.

Our Forrest is too young, has come too far and, is otherwise, too healthy to be euthanized or succumb to untreated pyometra, which can be deadly from overwhelming infection and sepsis. She has fought to survive her whole life, and Brony wants to give Forrest the opportunity to fight this too. I truly believe they both deserve it. For Forrest did some saving of Brony herself. We all know that perfect companions never have less than four feet.

Let's try and get our girl up to Wagga!

This is the location only available specialised vet clinic - *shout out to out vet, AJ, for working so hard to find answers and solutions!*

'When I read things like the foundations of capitalism are shattering, I'm like, maybe we need that. Maybe we need some time where we're walking around with a donkey with pots clanging on the sides.' Louis C. K.

Maybe more people stopping in small towns need some time with a donkey, too.