The wild burros serve many purposes including vegetation management to protect land from wildfires, according to a recue group. Christian Cázares reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on April 10, 2025.
A new deal has been made between San Bernardino County and a nonprofit to help control the wild donkey population.
DonkeyLand Rescue said it’s hoping to help injured or orphaned donkeys with help from the county government.
“We want to bring more in and get them out of harm's way,” said Chad Cheatham, who runs DonkeyLand with his wife.
Their nonprofit has been operating as a sanctuary for the animals in Moreno Valley for over a decade while promoting the coexistence between humans and wildlife.
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Officials said it’s difficult to catch the wild donkeys because they are constantly on the move. The concern is that when the animals get near the road, they can cause problems.
“She had an injury. This leg was splinted. We had to change the splint because she got hit by a car and her mom died. She is a survivor,” Cheatham said.
And these rescue efforts are costly, according to Cheatham.
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“We have never turned down one donkey that needed medical care from $100 to $1,000,” Cheatham said. “We take each one’s life very precious.”
To alleviate this financial burden and provide the organization with resources, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors initiated two significant contracts with DonkeyLand.
“First, is a non-financial contract that provides rescue and relocation services for injured, sick or orphaned high-risk burros,” said Luther Snoke, CEO of San Bernardino County. “The second contract funds the sterilization of 100 male burros for one year supporting population management and community safety.”
The wild burros are an asset to the county and serve many purposes including vegetation management to protect land from wildfires.
“We haven’t had a major fire where the donkeys roam free in a long time. There are fires around the area but they are great at vegetation management and they are part of the community,” Cheatham said.
