Recently, Travis Ward has taken up kayaking on Lake Pleasant in Arizona. He loves getting out in nature and recently he had a close encounter that he will remember.
He was on shore when two donkeys approached him. Hundreds of wild donkeys roam free in the regional park but one of them came up to Ward and looked in distress. The donkey’s head was covered with painful cactus spines likely from one of the thousands of sahuaros throughout the area.
“He got closer and I saw that there were thorns in his nose and his ear as well,” Ward said. “I could just tell he was in pain.”
So Ward decided he could help and began to pluck the nasty spines out.
“I thought maybe he wants me to take them out,” Ward told 12 News. One by one, he pulled the thorns out for a total of 40.
When he was done he said the relieved donkey thanked him by braying. “He does the donkey noise for about a minute and then he takes off,” Ward said. Ward was pleased he could help the distressed donkey and says it’s a moment he will never forget.
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