Franz Long has been a farmer in Ludowici for 40 years but he’s never experienced the unlikely bond that has formed between a recently acquired calf and his longtime pet donkey Maybelline.
“I got the calf from a friend of mine who didn’t want it to starve to death,” Long said explaining the calf’s Momma had pushed the baby away and rejected feeding attempts.
“I started to bottle feed the calf for about two or three days and then it started nursing off the donkey,” Long said. “It wouldn’t take the bottle anymore. I quit feeding it and it’s been nursing off the donkey for about three weeks. And the calf is doing good. It’s just one of those things.”
Long said his donkey Maybelline, is eight years old and recently had two babies and therefore she was still lactating. Smokey the calf is now six weeks old and doing well.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Long said. “You don’t see something like this every day. It’s a healthy calf now.”
The longtime farmer said the two have become inseparable sharing the same sleeping quarters and playing throughout his field.
While Smokey and Maybelline are doing well on the farm, several dogs found new homes Aug. 22, during an adoption event held at Petsense in Hinesville. The event was held by the Animal Refuge Foundation (ARF) of Wayne County. They brought in several dogs and puppies, all searching for their fur-ever home.
Hall said Archie’s laid-back attitude fits their family’s lifestyle. “I like how relaxed he is,” she said. “That is kind of what we are like at home, just chill and relaxed. So, that definitely drew us in”
ARF Spokesperson Jessica Jones said they brought in half of the 16 dogs they currently have at their Jesup rescue and foster homes. She said it’s important for folks to adopt shelter dogs. Jones said reputable rescues like hers make sure the pets are vaccinated and seen by local Veterinarians. She said shelter volunteers can help match pets with folks to ensure they are being placed in the right homes.
She said most of the pets that are brought in to ARF are pets that have been neglected or abused. She said teams of volunteers work together to rehabilitate the pets and get them ready for adoption. There is a fee to adopt which helps to cover the Veterinarian fees for the adoptable animal.
For more information or to donate or adopt visit: https://arfofwaynecounty.org/