In Memoriam
The Skydog Spirit Herd
“We who choose to surround ourselves with lives more temporary than our own live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful aps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan. The life of a horse, often half our own, seems endless until one day. That day has come and gone for me, and I am once again within a somewhat smaller circle.” – Irving Townsend
Adeline
Adeline was in her late twenties when we rescued her from a livestock auction in California. Abused as a rodeo tripping horse, she was terrified of humans and needed a long recovery in Malibu. With gentle handling, she got to the point where she would touch her nose to my hand when we said, "Bump, Addie". She’d do it over and over just to hear the words "good girl" and visibly shared our delight in the connection. When she moved to Oregon, she enjoyed happy years running free with several mustang herds. When she started losing weight, we brought her with some hard keepers, where she found love very late in life with a Red Desert senior. The end was not unexpected as she had been losing weight all winter and liver cancer was suspected. We chose not to put her through the stress of a biopsy as we knew her time had come and helped her pass quietly and peacefully. “One last time, bump, Addie… good girl… you are such a good girl.” Rest in peace, Sweet Adeline. #skydogadeline
Badger
Born in 1989, Badger was rounded up from Desatoya, NV, adopted in 1990, but never titled. The harness marks that scarred her face and thick drafty legs told us she was worked hard all her life pulling carts or plows. At age 31, she was dumped in a feedlot in Kansas with next to no chance of being adopted. We wanted to give her a glorious retirement - and that’s what it was. She lived it well, in peace, in different groups, always with friends. She was strong enough to run with a wild herd until she wasn’t. As liver disease progressed, she slowed down. This horse who loved food and treats lost her appetite. She let us know it was time to go when she lay down in soft sand beneath a tree. With Janelle by her side, our vet set her beautiful spirit free. #skydogbadger
Barkley
Barkley was my darling best friend, the essence of unconditional love. It’s impossible to describe a heart as big as his. He helped me move Skydog from an idea to a reality with his strength, company, and boundless enthusiasm for everything. Featured in the first Dodo video about us, he helped the sanctuary grow to save more lives. He loved winning the trust of new foals and getting donkeys to chase him. He welcomed every new rescue and made them feel safe and loved. When the prognosis was two weeks for an extremely aggressive form of cancer, he lived another six months - and I’m thankful for every precious minute. He went peacefully as he did everything in his beautiful life. I love you forever, Barkley. #skydogbarkley
Barnaby
Barnaby was rounded up from Beatty’s Butte, OR, adopted, and nearly worked to death. As happens often with Amish work horses, once he’d been drained of his health and strength, he was discarded in a kill pen for the last bit of money to be wrung out of his suffering. Barnaby loved the Malibu sunshine and sleeping in warm sand that penetrated his tired bones. Unfortunately, years of hard work and chronic arthritis left him so brittle, he somehow broke his neck one night. Staff and volunteers were there to surround him with love, offer him treats and scratches as we waited for the vet. He left this world knowing that his life mattered and how very much he meant to us. #skydogbarnaby
Braveheart
Originally from New Mexico, Braveheart was deemed dangerous, unrideable, and unadoptable. So a terrible owner left him to stand all alone in a small pipe corral. Just stand. For years. Day after day he stood without shade or shelter in all weather, where sweltering summer temps rose to 120F. Children thought it was fun to torment him daily, startling him by tipping his water trough over to make him jump. This left him standing in wet sand, which caused thrush infections in his hooves. When an incredible woman fought to get him out of that hell hole, our wonderful donors brought him to Skydog. When released onto hundreds of acres, he held his head high and took off over the hill with the entire herd around him. For two years, he got to be the wild horse he was born to be. He had a brave heart, a good heart, a kind heart, but sadly not a strong heart. This is what took him from us all too soon with unexpected suddenness. When his internal organs began to shut down, there was nothing more the vet could do. Sitting beside him, it hurt all the more to lose him before his time when he suffered such cruelty for so long. In the final kindness a giving him a compassionate end, I took comfort in the fact that while he was with us, Braveheart was completely happy. #skydogbraveheart
Cassidy
Saved from a kill pen in Waco, TX, when our hauler had room in a box stall for “a small extra one”, Cassidy the mini-hinny climbed on board. He arrived on a giant semi-truck and practically dragged the hauler down ramp. He was tiny, but his heart was as big as the mountains he came to live in. We turned him out with the donkey herd, but he slipped under the fence and made the walk to join the mustangs. Twice we brought him in to be safer, but he ran the fence lines crying for his wild horse herd. He served as Buddy’s Lieutenant and believed that all the mares were his - and the horses indulged him. With those little legs, he kept pace with a galloping herd, touching our hearts, challenging our minds, and sending our spirits soaring. He inspired us to dream big and make them come true. He lived his life exactly the way he wanted to until the day that colic took him down. When we hear the sound of rolling thunder, we look up at the sky, knowing the Skydog Spirit Herd is on the move. Cassidy is right there in the middle with the best of them. #skydogcassidy
Chester
Chester was a walking skeleton after the Amish drained his health and strength, then dumped him at a kill pen. When he finished quarantine, we brought him to Malibu for the extra attention we knew he would need. Noble, stoic, and gentle, he watched over the babies he shared a pen with at night. He dove into his soft, sloppy mashes with gusto and treated every moment of kindness as a gift. It was touch and go from the beginning as his lungs were so scarred, he sometimes had difficulty breathing in the heat. His asthma required a nebulizer and inhalers to keep his air passages open. We sent him to the best equine hospital for intensive lung care to clear up his pneumonia, but nothing could reverse the decades of neglect and damage that had been inflicted on his body. A couple of months after he arrived at Skydog, Chester let us know he was tired of struggling. We showed him how much he meant to us by surrounding him with love as his beautiful spirit took flight from a shell that could not hold it. #skydogchester
Dream
Dream was born in 1998 in Meadow Valley Mountain HMA, Nevada. Starved by her owner, she was close to death when she came to Skydog. With love, kindness, and special protocols from UC Davis, a light returned to her eyes. Slowly, she came back to life and health to reign as the undisputed matriarch of the Malibu ranch. Her strong opinions were expressed in no uncertain terms. Her love for Joe Pesci, a small, young donkey, was featured by The Dodo. Skye, an orphaned foal, was also taken under her maternal wing. She put Boots, the naughty mini-mule, in his place many times. She put up with Swayze in order to be close to his mare, Remi, with whom she spent the rest of her life. She gave kisses in exchange for cookies - and nips if you forgot to bring some. She bobbed her head up and down to the healing sound of crystal bowls. Her life with us was happy, rich and full. When it was time to go, she lay down and wouldn’t get up. With breaking hearts, we helped her pass gently. We dream a dream of Dream returning to Meadow Valley Mountain where her indomitable spirit runs free.
Firecracker
Firecracker was rescued from a starvation situation after his elderly owner died. A wonderful, local rescue in Bend, OR, @3sistersequinerefuge, saved him, trimmed his feet, and put weight back over his jutting bones. Restored to health at age 34, he needed a good retirement and we were only too happy to give it to him, but he he loved to be with people and never really clicked with the equine residents in Oregon. Malibu was the place for him, he loved everything about it: warm sunshine, ocean views and breezes, lots of volunteers and visitors to love on him - and love back. Icing on the cake, he formed a family with some donkeys. Many hearts were broken, human and equine, when he left us. We miss his loving presence, velvety coat, gazing into gentle eyes that were dark pools of love and kindness. Firecracker’s energy will always be felt at Malibu. #skydogfirecracker
Gandalf
Gandalf the Grey & Mighty was born in 1997 at Arapahoe Creek Wyoming HMA. This wild grulla was a mustang force of nature that kept on going no matter what. It was hard to imagine how he survived all those years in the Red Desert with severe arthritis in his massively swollen knees. It was a miracle that he got through the roundup and gelding at his great age, but angels saw him safely to Skydog. He was not strong enough to go out in the wild, but he appreciated easy living for a change. He loved grain, which made it possible to give him pain meds. He loved the mares around him, especially Adeline. When the angle on his bowed leg became so severe that catastrophic collapse was imminent, we made the decision to let him go. When death came, it was so gentle, he didn’t realize it was there. A spirit that would never give in was set free from a body that finally had to. #skydoggandalf
Grace
Grace was a Warm Springs legend, a fierce and watchful lead mare, who raised many foals on the range. Rounded up at 2, she was branded and released due to her beauty and genetics. She lived wild and free another 24 years before she was rounded up again with her last foal, Sunshine. Grace was too thin, weak, lethargic and depressed to nurse, so we took them both and restored their health and strength. They joined Goliath's herd until it became to hard for Grace to keep up with the distances they traveled. Sadly, Sunshine passed away of a rare virus. Grace never fully recovered from that final loss. She was content in her last years to be an auntie in Elsa’s family to the twins and the orphaned foal, Skye. Her long life ended when winter arrived, peacefully and with dignity amongst her equine friends. We honor her memory by giving our rescues the best care possible and never losing sight of the profound importance of family to horses. #skydoggrace
Graham Cracker
We first saw Graham Cracker in a kill pen in Oklahoma. A trader on the back of this old mule was forcing him to trot, despite his terribly swollen, arthritic joints. We checked him into Malibu “senior assisted living” with all the care and kindness in the world. The tallest resident at the ranch, he had a slow, looming presence that reminded us of Lurch in the Adams Family. He loved to nap in the shade of the pepper trees. And eat - he loved to eat. A quiet, gentle giant, he had his quirks, like no sense of boundaries or spatial awareness. He’d move right through your personal space to come up right behind you - or down on top of you - hoping for a scratch or a cookie. We wish he could have spent more gentle years with us, but a life of hard labor took its toll. He began to slow down, stopped showing interest in food. His arthritis bothered him more and more. It got to the point where he told us with his eyes that he was tired and ready to go. He laid down one last time surrounded by people who loved him, kissing his face and stroking his neck as the soothing sound of a crystal bowl sent him on his way.#skydoggrahamcracker
Jackson
Jackson was rounded up from Sheepshead / Heath Creek in the Barren Valley Complex in Oregon. He and Lisa Marie were the very first horses we rescued as a sanctuary. When we saw him at the auction, he was frightened and very protective of his mare. And yet, so forgiving of what human beings had done to them. A huge, gentle giant, he would spot me through a herd of horses and come over for hugs and nuzzles. When people wanted to see Phoenix or the Ballerinas, it was Jackson they were talking about when they returned. Our board member Rachel Hunter had a glorious love affair with him and it was hard to accept that I wouldn’t hear her ask after him every time we spoke. He was devoted to his mares, Lisa Marie, Missy, and Love in Buddy’s big herd, where they nursed their broken hearts. Goodbye, my darling friend. You inspired us to keep saving and grow Skydog to be bigger and bigger. #skydogjackson
Koda
Koda was from Callaghan HMA Nevada. Adopted after a mustang makeover event, he was sent from trainer to trainer for years and determined to be dangerous and unpredictable to any rider. He tried to escape by jumping a fence and got stuck on it over night, causing catastrophic injuries. His owners did an incredible job of healing him and then asked us to give him sanctuary to be a wild horse again. From the day that he stepped out of the trailer with his long glossy black tail and sweet disposition, Koda was a favorite. He loved his food more than any horse I’ve ever known. He’d run the entire length of the airstrip chasing the hay cart, wanting to be first to breakfast. Colic took him away from us, that lurking condition that can have life threatening consequences for all horses due to a design flaw in their digestive system. It was a hard shock for us, but we know one thing for certain: Koda enjoyed every second of every minute of every day that he was at Skydog. #skydogkoda
Lep
Lep was rounded up from Warm Springs as a yearling. He worked 28 years as a wrangler’s horse at the BLM corrals. He was such a kind and loving soul that any time a foal was orphaned or injured, they were put in with Lep for comfort. He did this for Sugar at the corrals, and for Hawk at Skydog as he healed and recovered. In his old age, he didn’t have many teeth and was losing weight, so we welcomed him for soft mashes, leafy alfalfa, and extra special care. He adored people - and the feeling was mutual. He loved being groomed, petted, and the occasional treat. He wasn’t strong, but he rallied for a good year before it was time for him to leave this world. He went with a full belly, surrounded by love. It was our honor to spoil him and make his final months happy and wonderful. #skydoglep
Lionheart
Lionheart is a testament to the strength, perseverance, and resilience of mustangs. He suffered a horrendous injury in the wild, which an x-ray revealed had left his hoof dangling from his leg. The pain he endured is unimaginable, but he was a mustang, so it healed. To compensate for the deformity, the hoof grew upright giving him a huge club foot. After he was rounded up from the Stinkingwater HMA in Oregon, the BLM asked us to take him. Janelle gentled him for corrective foot trims that allowed him to run free again at Skydog. He lived a beautiful life until a severe infection deep in that same foot caused lameness. The amount of infected bone that would have had to be removed would have caused him enormous pain, which we were not about to put him through again. On the advice of multiple vets, we let him go gently and painlessly, though it broke our hearts. #skydoglionheart
Louisa
Louisa was known to all of us as the horse we saved on Christmas eve with her golden friend Star. This beautiful mare was standing in a kill pen up to her knees in mud scared and confused about where she was. It was heartbreaking and we fundraised to save her and get her to Skydog Malibu. She loved her new life and friends and she got well enough to go to Skydog Oregon a few months after we rescued her. She joined Sheldon’s herd with Lady Jade and Sweetpea who she had become great friends with in Malibu. She had a long good life with us and ran with her herd until she was found not feeling well one day. We took her to Bend Equine but sadly she passed away suddenly of either liver failure (as her friend Star also did) or a severe and sudden colic. The good both mares did in raising awareness for the passing of the SAFE Act is immeasurable and both will always be remembered. We cannot help thinking that they both passed for the same reason as they had come from the same place. It is hard to imagine what these horses go through before they arrive with us that contributes to their earlier deaths. The stress alone must be so hard on them all. We mourn Louisa and Star but forever have Skye as a beautiful reminder of them both. Rest In Peace beautiful Louisa.
#skydoglouisa
Neptune
It was with an utterly broken heart that I broke the news that our beloved Neptune passed away in September 2024. Our little Chincoteague pony was so special to me personally, having grown up reading Marguerite Henry's books about Misty of Chincoteague. I fantasized about running away to the magical island covered with wild ponies. When the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, which manages the herd, reached out to us about taking Neptune, I didn't hesitate to say yes. They captured Neptune, even though he had a band of mares, because he was infertile. They removed him, hoping to find him a great home, but this wild boy had other ideas about domestication. They looked for a sanctuary with a chute and experience in handling and caring for wild horses. We had everything to give him the best chance of a happy life in a totally new habitat. Neptune traveled to Oregon and blew us all away with his indomitable spirit. He sailed through his first winter with flying colors, growing the fluffiest coat to keep him warm. He was a fixture at his gate, along with his best friends Sinatra and Tank. They’d all figured out that if they waited there, they would get first dibs at the hay cart. He took to touching the ground with his nose to ask for cookies to be tossed over to him on the ground. His pony belly grew full and round. Then I noticed he was losing weight and we brought him in to find out what was going on. I'm not sure we have ever spent more time or effort fighting to keep an equine with us. The crew drew blood every day and delivered it to the hospital for tests to see if there were any improvements. He received many plasma infusions. We tried every antibiotic. He rallied a few times, but when he continued to drop weight, we feared it was most likely cancer. Every night that I was in Oregon, I sat with him in the barn and read to him from the books about Assateague Island, hoping to share memories of the his home. We still don't know why he passed away and the vet is going to conduct further tests, but now his spirit is free. I imagine him returning to his coastal home and the sturdy herd that has lived there fore centuries. I picture him grazing on his favorite dune and marsh grasses, and drinking fresh water from ponds. I hear waves breaking and see his mane billowing in ocean breezes as he watches over his mares. Rest in peace, beautiful island boy. You were nothing less than a dream come true.
RAIN
Never in my entire life have we ever met a kinder, better and more decent gentleman of a horse. He was the most beautiful of beings on the outside but an even sweeter and more beautiful soul. We were all devastated and we did every possible thing to help save his life because we wanted so badly for him not to leave us, but he is no longer in any pain and has gone back to the earth on which he was born to run. We can only believe that God looked down and needed the best horse on earth and took him home for the angels to ride. One year ago he walked into our lives and hearts and today he was gone but will never be forgotten. The pain we all feel is a sign of how much we loved him and what a tribute to him that we all grieve his loss this deeply. His Spirit is free.
#skydograin
RENEGADE
Our hearts were shattered into a million pieces when Renegade passed away. We believe this belloved boy colicked and in rolling injured himself on old sage brush puncturing his skin. This was without a doubt the most terrible, tragic and traumatic thing that we have ever been through. There aren’t words to describe our devastation from all of us who loved this incredible wild horse. We do everything in our power to keep these horses safe including capping every t-post, limbing trees, walking pastures to make sure there is nothing that could injure them. But sadly there are some things that are impossible to protect against. Renegade died wild and free and he was the happiest horse ever to get that gift back. Run free Renegade. We miss you more than anything 💔
#skydogrenegade
RHYS
Rhys was an early save and one of our favorite horses ever to come to Skydog. From the very beginning, we noticed he had some strange mannerisms and weird gaits. Over the years he was with us, his facial paralysis worsened and he found it hard to eat much except soft food. We brought him down from Oregon to the warmth of Southern California so he could live on the sand and flat arenas of the ranch. He was diagnosed with EPM: a neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It’s caused by a microbe, Sarcocystis neurona, that is commonly found in opossum, which can be transmitted when horses come in contact with infected feces. EPM mimics other neurological diseases and the symptoms - everything from lameness to seizures - can come and go. As things grew progressively worse, we tried different medications, some of which improve things for a while, but in the end, we knew it was time to let Rhys go. I stood with him as he passed as I have done with so many of the horses in our care. It is the hardest part of this job but we have never let a horse go alone and I am truly grateful to staff who have been part of this difficult rite of passage. We honored Rhys with a memorialplaque in quiet, shady place in Malibu, under his favorite pepper tree.
#skydogrhys
ROOSTER
Rooster was a 21-year-old mustang from Book Cliffs, Colorado, whom we rescued from a kill pen in Oklahoma. Rounded up as a baby, he worked his whole life. Then when he needed humans the most, when he lost his vision, they failed him beyond words. The utter cruelty of dumping a blind horse into a kill pen is monstrous. His right eye had been stitched closed by the owner, likely to conceal the damage before sending him to auction. He had no sight in the left eye. He was frantically calling out for a familiar horse, but we learned he had arrived alone. The thought of the terror he must have felt without a friend to guide him in a strange and hostile place where he sensed the suffering of other animals utterly shattered my heart. We always want our rescues to have a companion, so we saved a starved and injured mare, Eden. She needed our help, but could also help Rooster.
We sent them to quarantine at the same vet hospital. A friend of ours in Oklahoma, Loretta, went to check on them. She broke into tears when she saw the physical condition of these sweet and gentle beings. Rooster had looked so sad and forlorn when he was alone, but after Eden arrived, he lifted his head. His ears started to swivel with interest. For proper quarantine, they couldn’t be in the same stall, but they could hear, smell, and talk to one another. They formed a bond.
As soon as Eden was well and strong enough to travel, we decided to bring them to Oregon. His eye surgery would be done by our excellent vets at Bend Equine with Janelle personally handling his post-op care at Skydog. An incredible, sensitive hauler, Steve, drove them directly to the clinic. He told us that Rooster turned in the trailer and put his head over the divider to rest on Eden the whole trip. Steve’s kindness, Eden’s sweetness, and Rooster’s trust as they were guided out of the trailer will always stay with me. Rooster would go anywhere with his Eden and she wanted to be there for him. We could hardly wait for them to begin a happy new chapter at Skydog.
Rooster didn’t make it. It was only after the surgeon opened up his eye that we learned of the extensive cancer that had eaten into the socket and through to his sinus. There was nothing they could do to help him except let him go to sleep in peace to end his pain. It felt as though all the color drained out of the world when we got this news. Janelle and I drove to the clinic in gloomy silence.
Rooster’s story did not end there. Because of him, Eden was saved. She came to Skydog, where we channeled our sorrow for him into loving and restoring her to vibrant health. We placed her with Cruiser’s family, where she immediately took to his foal, Tupelo Honey - who just happens to be blind in one eye. The nurturing, protective nature that Rooster depended upon makes her a perfect doting auntie. Without Rooster, there would be no Eden. I only looked at the kill pen pages to find a friend for him. Eden is Rooster’s final gift to us. The love, security, excellent care, and family she will know for rest of her days is our gift to him.
#skydogrooster
STANLEY
Oh, Stanley, our old boy- one of the oldest taken in by Skydog at 32 years. To remember when we saved him with his overgrown feet and him barely able to walk around without pain. It was an utter delight to see him being such a scamp, and enjoying his final days in peace and with friends. I remember that morning when we were saving Stanley at 32 years old in a kill pen, I saw a video of Boots hobbling around on his Aladdin feet and said - “we’ll take him too”. Stanley cried so much when he was led out to load we put him back. He stuffered enough loss and got to be with his best friend, Boots. Boots is still processing the loss, as we all are here. It never gets any easier, in fact: each loss is always felt, but we also like to look on the upside here. The best being that despite going through so much for so long, we were able to gift Stanley the most peaceful final days, and we thank Stanley so much for his trust and letting us care for him. Goodbye Buddy, we’ll miss you and promise to always give another look and a second chance to any horse.
#skydogstanley
STAR
Star was not a mustang. She just so happened to be standing behind one when we fundraised for Louisa on Christmas Eve 2019. So many people asked us to take the golden horse in the background that we stepped up and got her too. She came to Skydog Malibu and had her baby at Alamo Pintado as she had some complications, but her beautiful daughter Skye was healthy and such an angel and it was the happiest of endings so we thought. Sadly only a few months into Skye’s raising, Star started dropping so much weight that we knew something was wrong. We weaned baby Skye to give Star more strength but sadly she succumbed to Liver Cancer. We were devastated to lose her with her baby so small but we knew we had to end her life as she was having trouble getting back up after laying down. Skye was adopted by our miracle save Dream and she became such a helicopter mom to Skye that she was never alone or out of Dream’s sight. Skye now lives in Phoenix’s herd and is best friends with Hope and dates Scout and Jack Sparrow depending on her mood and the day of the week. We know Star is shining down on her and is so proud of the filly she has become. Rest In Peace our beautiful Star.
#skydogstar
STORM
Storm was very vocal and whined a lot - but in a good way. Looking out for two blind mares, he was letting them know where he was or directing them. He was always the sweetest boy and will be missed so much by his small, tight circle. He formed a loving bond with Clare, who started watching over Dani California and Rosa to help them get around. They are a closely bonded little herd, whom Clare chose through the fence to be her friends. Storm and Rosa were rescued from the Woolsey Fire after their ranch burned down. The wonderful lady, who cared for them for 15 years, has been to visit them, but has no property left for them to live on. They were such a happy band and Storm enjoyed his final days, not only finding peace, but being of service to others who needed him. We aim to give rescues not only a second chance at life, but a new outlook. Storm simply turned his life around and became the best, most giving being he could be until the very end. Goodbye, sweet boy.
#skydogstorm
SUNSHINE
Sunshine came in with her mother, Grace, after the Warm Springs roundup in Oregon. She was weak and unable to nurse from her mother, who was also thin. We brought them home and fed them. Sunshine quickly grew tall and strong and was everyone’s favorite girl. She was raised with Goliath’s herd, where Bodhi was her best friend. She ran the hills. It was always easy to spot her in the herd with her glowing coat and face. She never had a sick day in her life. Then one day, we saw her standing away from the herd and just knew something was wrong. We had the vet look at her in the field and her vitals were all dangerously high. We took her to Bend Equine, where they fought for days to save her life, but she didn’t survive. She had contracted a rare virus and we had to let her go. After her passing, Grace never fully recovered and was put to sleep shortly after. Mother and daughter were reunited in the spirit herd in the sky. We are grateful we were able to give them a couple of years of good wild living before they left us.
#skydogsunshine
Swayze
Our darling Swayze left us and flew to heaven on his gossamer angel wings. Swayze was the horse with a hundred lives. We rescued him from Fabrizius, Colorado kill pen six years ago and he went down in the trailer on the way to Oregon. The vet in Laramie, WY told us he should be euthanized as he wasn’t worth the effort, but we asked him to rehydrate him and clear him for travel. Swayze arrived with strangles and almost didn’t make it through because he was so sick. He had minor cancer and while with us had 2 surgeries for melanomas on his tail. But for 6 years he ran the hills and was happy, well, and pain-free. Our beloved Swayze died a mustang after a long and wonderful life with us. We celebrate his life and mourn his passing to another dimension where he will watch over us. To Swayze’s most special girl @ariellekebbel thank you for all the love you gave him and to everyone else who met him and cared for him - he’s with the angels now and we will forever miss his unicorn beauty at Skydog.
#skydogswayze
Vegas
Vegas was in her thirties and died in her sleep peacefully. All night her best friend Read stood over her body and in the morning he came to get us to show us where she was. Vegas was one of the first horses we rescued at Skydog and although she wasn’t featured often she lived right next to Clare’s house, so her sweet face would greet her every morning nickering softly to say hello and ask for a carrot. She had slowed down so much that last time the vet was here she said she didn’t have long. And so she left us and her dear friend Read. Vegas had her last years with us happy and healthy and running the hills and she was a good old girl who had lived a hard life before she was rescued. Farewell Vegas - we will miss your greeting every day. Be free forever now.
#skydogvegas
Vinnie
Saying goodbye to Vinnie was incredibly difficult to do, but we had to let him go gently. He was the first donkey l really got to know. He was affectionate, smart, adoring and I loved him. Vinnie was foundational in more ways than one. The first animal l ever rescued on my first date with Chris - the man I would marry nine months later. I was looking for a companion for my horse, Elvis, and a donkey had been advertised by a rescue in Simi Valley. It was Vinnie. I adopted him and Chris made a donation to the organization. A few days later, they emailed me to say that they had saved three horses from going to slaughter with that money. This was the first I had ever heard about equine slaughter. If that donation had saved that many animals, we could save a lot more. Vinnie planted the seeds that sprouted into Skydog and a passion for animal rescue that has only grown stronger. His rescue led to hundreds of donkeys being saved for Skydog and for other sanctuaries. The OG of SD, he kicked off the trend of giving our donkeys gangster names. He’d let little Joe Pesci use him as a stepping stool to munch on leaves that were just out of reach. He was one of the “highwaymen”, who mobbed us at the Malibu gate in their fly masks, wouldn’t let us pass without hugs and tickles, and searched the vehicle for cookies. Then they’d turn and race down the hill full speed. He loved to roll in the warm Malibu sand. I would get on the ground to kiss his drooping bottom lip, taking in the sweet scent of his herbivore breath. He had a lady love, Red. We’ve been watching her, making sure she’s eating, drinking, and getting lots of love, but we all miss him. We were hoping for a miracle to fix his feet that never materialized, but we know we did everything possible. I like to think of him running with the herd in the sky with the best new feet, trotting on the softest clouds. Bye, my old friend. The ranch won't be the same without you. You are a legend, who left a legacy, and took a piece of my heart with you. Rest in peace, dear Vinnie. Love you forever.
#skydogvinnie