How it works
By committing annually to a $100/month sponsorship of a mustang or burro, you help us enormously by supporting our existing rescues so we can continue saving more.
SPONSORSHIP INCLUDES:
A personalized Certificate of Sponsorship with a photo of the horse or donkey you choose and your name.
A 60 minute one-on-one visit to Skydog Ranch to meet the horse or burro you are sponsoring, spend time hanging out with them, take photographs and ask questions of our staff.
If you sponsor more than one horse or burro, you will get one hour with each animal when you visit.
To visit your sponsored equine, you must be a sponsor for at least 9 months. Anyone who wants to see them sooner will have to pay for 9 months ($900) in advance of their visit. We regret that this has become necessary. We need to discourage those sponsoring for one month in order to visit the ranch, then canceling because they don’t actually care about supporting the animals or our work. These tours take up a lot of time from our staff and the important work they do caring for our rescues.
Choosing a Mustang or Burro to Sponsor
You can search for posts about individuals on Instagram or Facebook with a hashtag that combines the word “skydog” with their name (#skydogzebedee #skydognugget). You can also go to the Then & Now page on the website to see their photos and read their biographies. (Note: their pages are currently being updated.)
Sponsor a SKYDOG on Patreon
A great way to sponsor a Skydog is by becoming a patron on Patreon and signing up for the $100/month Lead Mare level. This automatically makes you a sponsor and gives you access to exclusive content that we don’t post on other social media platforms. Each new episode of the Horse Love Podcast is released there, as are special offers on merchandise, and breaking news.
Skydogs who need sponsors
Bruno
Warm Springs once boasted the last wild burro herd in Oregon. They were a unique and special group. It’s remarkable that these desert animals adapted to thrive up here in the cold winters. I have always believed they should have been protected and studied for the unusual physical characteristics they share. Lots of these donkeys have short stumpy ears, or one ear shorter than the other. Many don't have tails. It’s also unusual that some share the same double line on their back from their dorsal stripe. Perhaps these are signs of inbreeding, something the BLM used to care about back in the days when it managed for the genetic health of herds. Today, if they leave any on the range at all, it is in numbers so small as to prevent the genetic viability of the herd. We asked to take all 41 of the Warm Springs burros when they were rounded up, but they only let us take 10. Bruno is one of them and fairly easy to spot in a crowd with his dark coat and incredibly fuzzy ears! More about the Warm Springs Herd
Rojo
Rojo went through the prison training program in Carson City, NV. His owner adopted and rode him until she contracted Lyme Disease. While she was too sick to ride, Rojo got some time off from his training. He quickly reverted back to his wild ways. By the time his adopter was well enough to ride again, he had very strong opinions about being handled. This is not uncommon. Prison-trained horses or Mustang Makeovers often get three months of intensive training and are shown for adoption. If the adopter doesn’t have enough knowledge or experience to be consistent from the day they get them, it is possible that they can revert to being more wild - or test their owner. Fortunately, handsome Rojo came to Skydog, where his dream of living wild and free forever has come true. He’s an easy-going guy and gets along with all the horses in Buddy’s herd. More about Rojo
Wookie
Nature has many examples of loving and nurturing parenting, but burros are often overlooked. These gentle, humble, stoic creatures possess a natural instinct to care for their young, creating a bond that is even stronger than what we see in mustangs. With their tender interactions from the moment of birth and protective nature, donkeys exemplify a level of parenting that showcases the beauty of the animal kingdom. When the last wild burro herd in Oregon was rounded up, we wanted to adopt the entire herd and keep them together, but were only allowed to take 10. So we spent a lot of time at the corrals identifying bonded pairs and families. There was Wookie with her baby, Biscuit, beside her. Mother burros tend to follow their offspring throughout their lives, rather than stay with their stud in the wild. Separating them is an unthinkable act of cruelty, so we brought mother and daughter to Skydog, where they will always be together. More about the Warm Springs Herd
RESCUED MUSTANGS
THERE ARE OVER 250 HORSES AND 50 DONKEYS HERE AT SKYDOG
Click on the photos to find out more or read their stories on our Then and Now Page.
RESCUED DONKEYS, MULES, Minis, ZONKEYS & A ZEBRA
