How a Media Executive's Kindness Helped Set Up a Sanctuary for Rescued Donkeys

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Abstract

<p id="d8d7">Ron King worked as Vice-President of Time magazine till 2017. He had a front-row seat in the world's top fashion shows.</p><p id="2863">Destiny had other plans for Ron King. He had no plans to rescue donkeys until he watched a TikTok video about a herd of donkeys being sent for slaughter.</p><p id="1c8c">King developed a sudden spark of interest and dug into the subject. What he read shocked him.</p><p id="6bf3">The donkey populations worldwide face decimation because of China's high demand for their skin. It's believed indiscriminate slaughter would wipe out half the global population of donkeys in the next five years because of the massive demand for their hides. China's donkey population had dwindled 76 percent in the past five years.</p><p id="652a">King also found that America's donkeys are ending up in Mexico's slaughterhouses.</p><p id="540d">He decided to do something to stop the indiscriminate slaughter of donkeys. His immediate priority was to set up a sanctuary for rescued donkeys.</p><p id="a811">King's close friend Phil Selway had a 75-acre property in Hopeland, Calif. They opened <a href="https://www.oscarsplace.org/contact-us">Oscar's Place Adoption Center and Sanctuary</a> in January 2020.</p><p id="7971">Oscar's Place finds abandoned donkeys in livestock auctions and rehabilitates them until they find homes ready to adopt them as pets. It has teamed up with another organization, <i>All Seated in a Barn. </i>This organization rescues abandoned animals and educates the public about the dangers of declining donkey populations.</p><p id="503c">Oscar's Place has so far cared for 77 donkeys since its inception. Out of these, animal lovers have adopted twenty-three donkeys. They expect another 50 donkeys to arrive in January 2022. The non-profit relies on donations and sponsorships to run the sanctuary.</p><h2 id="c917">Final thoughts</h2><p id="5e66">Ron King lives full-time on the ranch in the company of the rescued donkeys. <i>"I've never been happier in my whole life"</i>, said King.</p><p id="68d1">Let's hope King's mission to rescue and rehabilitate

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donkeys will shine the spotlight internationally on the illegal and indiscriminate slaughter of the animals for their hides. China should educate its people and close down the markets that trade donkey hides.</p><p id="67ec">Thanks for reading this story.</p><p id="2139">Source:</p><div id="fc83" class="link-block"> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/12/02/donkey-sanctuary-oscar-ron-king/?utm_campaign=wp_the_optimist&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_optimist&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F356efe1%2F61acc6129d2fdab56bb4b939%2F596bef059bbc0f403f9b6941%2F33%2F50%2F61acc6129d2fdab56bb4b939"> <div> <div> <h2>Why a media executive left his career to help maligned donkeys and save them from slaughter</h2> <div><h3>Ron King was a New York media executive for 20 years with the lifestyle to show for it. He was successful and loved his…</h3></div> <div><p>www.washingtonpost.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*KjT_GFMSgG7Z_J9e)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="6864"><i>This story was brought to you by Spread the Ripple. We are a publication dedicated to kindness. Kindness is our superpower. Read more stories and come and write with us here:</i></p><div id="1f13" class="link-block"> <a href="https://medium.com/spread-the-ripple"> <div> <div> <h2>Spread the Ripple</h2> <div><h3>We spread the ripple of kindness. This is the place for stories on kindness. Let kindness be your superpower.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*1x0obTrx8ydPgO6lthfHcw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

He has partnered with other animal rescuers to prevent the indiscriminate slaughter of donkeys

"Donkeys have been completely cast away from society. It's time we give them some respect." ( Ron King, media executive)

The donkey is one of the most maligned and mistreated animals globally. Human vanity and arrogance, which are limitless, have falsely branded donkeys as stupid animals to justify their indiscriminate slaughter.

Science has come to the rescue of ill-treated donkeys. Research has established that donkeys are cognitively and emotionally intelligent animals.

“Our results address the existence of a human-analogous heritable component and mechanisms underneath intelligence and cognition in probably one of the most traditionally misunderstood species from a cognitive perspective.” ( Journal of Veterinary Behavior)

Is it not time humans stopped maligning an intelligent animal like the donkey as stupid? We should change the expression "stupid ass" to "smart ass".

Donkeys are good pets too. They are known to show affection towards their caretakers.

Celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger keep donkeys as pets.

How a corporate executive became a saviour of donkeys

Corporate executives and donkeys are worlds apart, aren't they? Not necessarily.

Ron King worked as Vice-President of Time magazine till 2017. He had a front-row seat in the world's top fashion shows.

Destiny had other plans for Ron King. He had no plans to rescue donkeys until he watched a TikTok video about a herd of donkeys being sent for slaughter.

King developed a sudden spark of interest and dug into the subject. What he read shocked him.

The donkey populations worldwide face decimation because of China's high demand for their skin. It's believed indiscriminate slaughter would wipe out half the global population of donkeys in the next five years because of the massive demand for their hides. China's donkey population had dwindled 76 percent in the past five years.

King also found that America's donkeys are ending up in Mexico's slaughterhouses.

He decided to do something to stop the indiscriminate slaughter of donkeys. His immediate priority was to set up a sanctuary for rescued donkeys.

King's close friend Phil Selway had a 75-acre property in Hopeland, Calif. They opened Oscar's Place Adoption Center and Sanctuary in January 2020.

Oscar's Place finds abandoned donkeys in livestock auctions and rehabilitates them until they find homes ready to adopt them as pets. It has teamed up with another organization, All Seated in a Barn. This organization rescues abandoned animals and educates the public about the dangers of declining donkey populations.

Oscar's Place has so far cared for 77 donkeys since its inception. Out of these, animal lovers have adopted twenty-three donkeys. They expect another 50 donkeys to arrive in January 2022. The non-profit relies on donations and sponsorships to run the sanctuary.