Help Target Recover: Surgery Fund

There was once a Poitou donkey named Target whose two dads, Chris and Allan,

loved him to the moon. Friends came from far and wide to visit him--this magnificent wooly draft donkey, one of only 70 in the United States and 600 in the world. Rarer than a black rhino. Rarer than a giant panda. With a heart and gentleness so profound that everyone who met him fell in love.

Life on Kreeky Tree Farm in Pennsylvania was perfect. But then something terrible happened. Chris died.

And in those moments of life that make no sense and leave us wondering why, Chris and Allan's friends did what dear friends do: they sprung into action to help. One of them, Meredith, also in Pennsylvania, took Target temporarily. Another friend, Cec, in New York City, called Jane and me in Virginia--because she had heard of our donkey farm through a mutual friend.

Jane and I had never heard of Chris, Allan, Meredith, Cec--or Target. But the world works in mysterious ways. And suddenly, so many people who never knew each other existed were working together to help Target. I like to think Chris had a hand in it too.

Target has been at Abingdon Donkey Lodge for three weeks now. We loved him from the moment we saw him. And everyone who has met him--our trainer, our vet, and our friends--are so in love with him too. He hasn't been 100 percent since he arrived, though, and after a couple of visits from our vet, a course of antibiotics, blood work, and a urinalysis, a decision was made to transport him to the large animal hospital at Virginia Tech's College of Veterinary Medicine.

After a thorough exam, more blood work, another urinalysis, AND an endoscopy and ultrasound, his doctors discovered the problem. Target has a bladder stone the size of a SMALL POTATO. We don't know what caused it or how long it's been there, but it's painful--and it's reeking havoc throughout his entire urinary tract. But the good news is that the problem is FIXABLE.

Target will undergo surgery on Friday, February 3, 2023, at the large animal hospital to have this bladder stone removed. It's an invasive surgery, with an incision between 6-8 inches long--because of the size of the stone. He will undergo general anesthesia for the procedure, and will have to be hospitalized for at least 24 hours afterward.

After talking to the vet school today, we estimate the cost of all treatments--including surgery and medications--will be around $5,000. If you would like to help, we would be forever grateful. Our plans are to open the farm again for public tours in the spring and showcase this beautiful boy to the world.