Wish
I am pretty much sure if Pumpkin could speak she would like to talk about her wish to see more and more people considering donkeys, thanks to their wonderful personality, as a pet with proper care, just like I did. Talking about care, never believe articles saying that leaving a donkey on pasture is OK. It is not! It could be OK for a healthy animal without insulin resistance and only for no more than 15 minutes per day or so. Wild donkeys live in an anvironment where rich food is not common, so they are not used to it. That's why Pumpkin suffers from laminitis and founder...
Contrary to popular belief, donkeys are not stubborn but extremely concerned for their own safety. They need more time than all other animals to evaluate what you would like them to do.
They are excellent pets: smart, gentle and very loyal to the owner.
Unlike a horse, a donkey recognizes only one master (owner) and it is a lifetime bond between two of them. For this reason, it is also a great responsibility for the owner because donkeys can live a very long time (in some cases up to 60 years; average lifespan of a domesticated donkey is about 40 years, for a wild one is about 27 years).
Remember that just female donkey (jenny) is suitable for becoming a pet; male donkey (jack) is by nature sexually aggressive and best used for breeding purposes only.
I strongly recommend that you have your own house because it could be hard to find a ranch that is willing to accept donkey instead of a horse (don't ask me why?), not to mention what to do with your donkey if the ranch should close down for business. That's my good advice to you supported by my own experience with Pumpkin.
