By Sally Crocker for Southlake City Lifestyle magazine, Southlake, Texas, August 2024 issue

Loving Long Ears Donkey Therapy & Sanctuary

Jules Peterson has been around animals all her life. She started riding horses at age five. During the summers at her grandparents’ home in the North Dakota Hills, she rode western saddle and always loved being on ranches and around farm animals.

Jules grew up in Minneapolis, where she became involved in English riding, or dressage. She quickly grew into hunter/jumper equestrian riding, also known as the highly competitive sport of show jumping.

An accident that seriously injured her neck and spinal cord took Jules out of the sport. She ended up on a walker and then a cane, suffering excruciating pain. But her medical treatment was only part of what helped Jules recover. She continued to love being around horses, and also children, so she volunteered for equine therapy in Arizona. Eventually, she started riding again, sitting up straight in the saddle as a rider must do, which helped to alleviate her pain. Amazingly, what ended up bringing Jules back was the very thing she loved – and it showed her the power of healing through equine therapy.

Today, Jules is founder and director of Loving Long Ears Donkey Therapy & Sanctuary, Inc. in Southlake, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported 100% through donations.

Loving Long Ears rescues donkeys that are unwanted, neglected, abused, need rehoming or are heading for slaughter. The organization rehabilitates them for donkey assisted therapies and activities that inspire, renew and heal the human spirit for children, adults, veterans, first responders and mental health conditions.

“After my injury, I could hardly move my neck. I suffered from sciatica and intense pain down my leg. I didn’t know if I would ever walk again. Experiencing this kind of trauma gave me so much compassion for others who may be in physical or emotional pain, or both,” Jules says.

Renewing the spirit

“Too often donkeys come to us broken in spirit and without a safe place to live, or grieving the loss of their human partners and longtime homes. Some come to us ill or physically broken down. The story is repeated time and again. With the hard work of our volunteers and the community’s support, these loving animals can once again be healthy donkeys filled with life and promise,” Jules says.

In getting their own lives back, these donkeys are also able to help people regain theirs. 

Donkeys, Jules says, are incredibly intelligent animals who are docile but quite friendly and social. They’re not intimidating and are less likely to get spooked than a horse might. Jules likens a donkey’s brainpower to that of a dog or dolphin.

Loving Long Ears Donkey Therapy and Sanctuary works with children and adults to create a synergy between donkeys and humans that inspires and heals.

“Our purpose is to brighten someone’s day or facilitate one’s future. Donkeys are natural at expecting and modeling behavior that aids in communicating wellness skills to clients. We provide the love, care and training to rehabilitate and train these animals for donkey-assisted activities and therapies,” Jules says. “Rescue donkeys are probably some of life’s best teachers.”

“They show us how to love unconditionally, to slow down, to appreciate the simple things and to learn to trust again … even after terrible hurt. Where we live is a much happier place because of these donkeys,” she adds.

Support, love, healing

People gain so much from interacting with these animals.

“When you pet a donkey, they release the oxytocin hormone that relieves stress and helps people relax and feel better. Just petting and brushing a donkey can give such comfort,” Jules says.

One emotional support donkey at the sanctuary has the ability to understand when a person is grieving and allows people to hold her and cry on her.

Buffy, who is especially attuned to children and how they are feeling, can sense if they’re sad, depressed or happy. She’s called “the kissing donkey” because she offers nurturing and love as kids hug her and will actually offer a kiss if children want one. One of her special friends is a boy who has been visiting for three years – as soon as he gets out of the car, Buffy starts braying to say hello.

Peaches, one of the sanctuary’s newest additions, recently had a baby, who’s called Georgie Peaches.

Three mammoth donkeys also live at the sanctuary. While rare and very large – they can weigh anywhere from 1,200 to 2,000 lbs., about the size of a Clydesdale horse – these donkeys are so gentle that small children feel comfortable hugging them around the legs. One mammoth named Bud will push a soccer ball back to you if you kick it in his direction.

Seven donkeys currently live at the Southlake sanctuary, and they’re so friendly that they will eagerly follow people around like a pet dog.

“Donkeys accept people for what they are and offer their love and support in such genuine ways,” Jules notes.

Donkey-assisted therapy is a therapeutic, educational or preventive accompaniment practice, often with a qualified professional connecting the human and the donkey. It can also be recreational and fun.

“It’s a beautiful thing to see these donkeys give so much joy to people’s lives,” Jules says.

Good work – and growth - through support

Not only to do the donkeys work with veterans, special needs adults and children, individuals who are grieving, those diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, people experiencing anxiety, depression or aggressive behaviors, but the sanctuary is also open at certain times to the public.

The organization’s website (https://lovinglongears.org/) provides information on how to register for therapy, where Loving Long Ears serves as a facilitator in partnership with licensed therapists and clinicians.

The donkeys can also be scheduled for birthday parties and special events.

Since the organization operates without staff salaries, primarily through the kindness of volunteers who are always needed, visitors are asked for a $50 “love donation” that goes 100% to the donkeys’ feeding and care. The organization hosts events at Easter, Christmas and Halloween and gains support from local businesses. Loving Long Ears also participates in North Texas Giving Day, Go Fund Me efforts and grant writing.

Can you help?

Since the organization has outgrown its current space, funds are now being raised for a larger property, climate-controlled barn, a covered therapy training and special events arena, a learning and education center, and other needed features. 

Loving Long Ears has outgrown its small barn and is very much in need of a larger facility more conducive to donkey-assisted therapies. The organization is seeking individuals who would like to be a part of the mission going forward by helping to support future expansion with land and a new facility (https://lovinglongears.org/).

Loving Long Ears is also very grateful, Jules says, for donations of any amount to help the organization continue to feed and care for the donkeys.

“It’s so inspiring to watch these animals healing people and people healing animals. We see miracles every day,” Jules says.

Volunteers are always needed. For more information on volunteering, visit the Loving Long Ears Donkeys website at https://lovinglongears.org/.

“We couldn’t do it without our volunteers, who help in so many ways. They’re here on the hottest, the coldest and the rainiest days of the year. They volunteer because they have heart,” Jules says. 

“We provide the love, care and training to rehabilitate and train these animals for donkey-assisted activities and therapies … rescue donkeys are probably some of life’s best teachers,” Jules says.

Volunteers are always needed. For more information on volunteering, visit the Loving Long Ears Donkeys website at https://lovinglongears.org/.