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| Man drags his ass from Fort Huachuca all the way to Tombstone |
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| Written by Luke Money |
| Thursday, 13 October 2011 03:16 |
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Only Benjamin is not going by car, he’s walking the full 20-something miles, with a donkey in tow. Benjamin, along with his 21-year old donkey, Zeke, walked to raise awareness about abuses to donkeys in the area. Benjamin said he was especially motivated after hearing that someone had shot a donkey after the price of upkeep became too high to support the animal any longer. Benjamin himself used to have five donkeys, now he has two. The others he had to give away because he could no longer afford to feed the animals. Benjamin blamed the rising price of grain, a consequence of the poor economy, for many such abuses. Grain, he said, recently hit $16 a bale, causing many donkey owners to release their animals unchecked into the wild. “It’s a pretty common thing. Donkeys are always the first to go when times get tough,” Benjamin said. “I just want people to know that they don’t have to be neglected or abused.
Benjamin said there are donkey rescue services in nearby Benson, such as Forever Home Donkey Rescue and Sanctuary, that provide a humane out for owners who find themselves unable to afford the upkeep for their animals. Benjamin said it was important for prospective donkey owners to understand the commitment that comes with the animal, and not make such a decision lightly. “If people think they want a donkey, they need to check into what they think it is going to take to have one,” he said. “If you’re prepared to have one, then you should be aware of that.” Benjamin said he thinks he’ll raise about $300 for his trek, which is a start, but only a dent in the greater scheme of things. “At $16 a bale (for grain), that’s not going to go too far in feeding these animals,” he said. This isn’t the first time Zeke has helped raise money, though. Benjamin said that the donkey had been involved in previous charitable works for cancer in Colorado, some as long as 15 years ago. But the money raised is secondary to the message, Benjamin said. Besides, he has another idea to increase his funds. “I should charge the county for weed control,” he joked as Zeke stopped to graze on grasses along the road. 
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