A starving, freezing, and “scared to death” pregnant donkey stood in a packed animal stockyard along with dozens of other horses. 

If she were to give birth while stomping in animal waste, she and her baby could have died due to infection. But thanks to the Peace for Ponies adoption shelter, which stepped in to save them, they are now getting a second chance at life. 

“She was thin, you could see her rib cage, ” said shelter owner Kendra Bond. “She was terrified of people."

Guests could meet that happy mother donkey and her healthy baby along with other farm animals during the Peace for Ponies open house on Sunday. 

Having started as a rescue for pregnant mini-horses, the organization has grown to include rabbits, pigs, chicken, and many other farm animals. 

Bond established the shelter in East Wareham six years ago with a pursuit to save kill pen horses from livestock auctions. When owners face bankruptcy, hardships on the farm, deaths in the family, or other sudden circumstances, it can be time consuming to sell the horses privately. 

Horses are sold at the auction by the pound. Once sold, horses are typically shipped slaughterhouses Mexico and Canada because it is illegal to slaughter horses in the United States. 

“They are put in the trailers, they are not fed for days, they freeze,” said Bond. “They are sold for hides and their meat is used to feed to other animals.”

Peace for Ponies supports animals’ emotional, physical and mental healing while also searching for new homes and ensuring they will continue their journey healthy and happy. 

“It is truly fascinating and really heartwarming to see all these animals and see them living in perfect conditions while knowing that not so long ago they suffered in distress and misery,” said one of the visitors, Mary Enriquez. 

Peace for Ponies had been adopting donkeys and ponies at a constant rate of four to five mini-horses per year. With growing social media awareness, the shelter was able to raise more money and adopt 14 mini-horses in just over four months.

But Bond doesn't plan to stop there. With the community’s help, Bond wants to utilize space at the shelter, create a campaign to save camp horses from slaughter and establish a bigger farm, ultimately rescuing more animals. 

“We need businesses, we need landscapers, we need volunteers. We need someone to come and help us build things, move stuff or pick up hay. We are a bunch of women and it is very difficult to find men to volunteer. We are also always open for new board members,” said Bond. “We would really improve this place if we got a little bit of help.”

Residents can help Peace for Ponies in several ways — from providing money for vet bills to baking an item for the bake sale or donating fencing, gates, wood, and other building materials. 

To learn more about Peace for Ponies and find out how you can help support it, go to the shelter’s website at peaceforponies.com or visit its Facebook Page.