♪♪♪ Laura McGill-Randolph: My girl.

SallyJo Robins Schmidt: Hi, little guy.

Michele DeLuca: This is Whispering River Animal Rescue in Gasport, New York, a place where humans rescue animals, especially abused and discarded donkeys, and care for them and try toheal them with respect and love.

Being a volunteer on an animal rescue farm can make for some beautiful days.

The work is hard, but the camaraderie is joyful, and the satisfaction of rescuing beautiful creatures who have been harmed or abandoned by their humans is, well, if you stick around, I'll show you.

Jacqueline Serrano: Every one of them, including Perseus, was in a kill pen.

Every single one of themwere going to be used for meat, except for Festus, every single one of 'em.

Can you imagine?

Michele: The donkeys are rescuedfrom what are called "kill farms," where donkeys, horses, and mules, are sent before transport out of thecountry to be slaughtered, their meat sold to cultures that stillconsume equine meat, and the donkey's skin sold to Chinawhere they're in high demand and used in ancient medicine.

The kill farms aren't regulated,so the treatment of the animals is often horrific, and the equine are often not fed or given water and sometimes beaten mercilessly by inpatient workers.

Michele: The volunteers at Whispering River are constantly trying to raisemoney, not just to care for the donkeys they've saved but to purchase more from the kill farms at hundreds of dollars each, including the cost to transport the animals to Gasport, where they arrive exhausted, frightened, and sometimes barely alive.

female: There you go.

female: Come on, it's okay.

female: Welcome home, everybody.

Michele: Some donkeys aren't so lucky.

This one couldn't stand, which can mean death for the donkey.

A volunteer explains what occurred on one of the first transports.

Iman Goueli: We tried everything, and we couldn't watch him suffer any longer.

We had no choice but to make a terribly sad and gut-wrenching decision to finally put him at peace.

We all gave him so much love.

We said our good-byes and heldhim as he went to a much better place where he can be free of all the terrible things that have happened to him.

We had to give him a name before he left us.

We named our angel Jericho.

Michele: Whispering River was founded by Jackie, a longtime animal advocate and volunteer, who, with her brother, John, dreamedof creating a haven for animals.

Sadly, John died unexpectedly just before the rescue opened.

Jackie anticipated the first anniversary of his death would be really hard, but there was a surprise waiting for her in the barn.

Jacqueline: I was feeling a little depressed, and I wanted to go and get donuts this morning, so I didn't come into the barn first, and I get a call from my son.

He says, "Don't go to Tim Hortons.

Turn around.

There's a baby in the barn.

Michele: They named the baby George, and his delivery was a triumph for the volunteers, especially for SallyJo, who planned to adopt the baby and keep him at the farm with his mom.

Even better, the baby was born with the mark of the cross on his back.

Legend has it that the donkey who rode Jesus into Jerusalem watched the crucifixion with a breaking heart but was blessed for his devotion when the shadowof the cross fell upon his back.

Jacqueline: So I love 'emall, but the ones that have the cross, I think, are a little bit more special to me.

Michele: And the baby has the cross.

Jacqueline: And the baby has a cross on the day that--yup.

Michele: On this special day.

Jacqueline: Yeah, it's a very special day.

Exodus has a cross.

Diesel has a cross.

Wayne doesn't have one, but I think he has one on his heart.

Michele: You might have one on your heart too.

Jacqueline: Yeah, we do.

I think I do.

Michele: Unfortunately, despiteall the TLC, little George's health wentdownhill fast, and for a variety of reasons, he didn't make it.

It took the volunteers a long time to get over that.

SallyJo: So it was definitelya roller-coaster of emotions for a couple of days, and it endednot real cool, but we're here to go on to the next one and save the next one and carry on, and that's what we'll do, one day at a time.

Michele: I firstfound out about Whispering River Animal Rescue while at my job at the "Niagara Gazette," a newspaper in Niagara Falls, NewYork, where I was a journalist.

We'd run a front-page articleabout the rescue, and I saw they were seeking volunteers to comeout and just love the animals, especially volunteers battling anxiety, addiction, and depression.

I'd been looking for somewhere to volunteer with my older brother Jerry.

Reading the story about Whispering River, I knew I'd found it.

Jerry, gruff and rough around the edges, had lived a very challenging life and was now nearly immobile due to a very bad back.

He didn't have much going on in his life, but if all they needed was someone to love the creatures, I was sure he could do that.

I made a call to let them knowwe were coming, and we showed up there a few days later and were welcomed like family.

Jacqueline: So here's Laura.

We're not--here's Laura.

Never even says, "Hi."

She puts her sweatshirt on backwards, Jerry, puts the hood up, and she's walking like this, right?

And I'm over there, talkin' toher, and I says to--and the lady looks, and she goes, "Is this a lady that doesn't drink or do drugs?"

I'm like, "Yeah, that's our leader."

Michele: One day, during a visit, my cousin, Denise, and I were learning about donkey care and feeding, including the practice of caution when it comes to the donkey's favorite treat, Cheerios.

Laura, the barn manager, gives them to the donkeys, just, one or two at a time.

Laura: It's something they enjoy, out of the ordinary.

Yeah, that's a good girl.

She's smilin'.

It's out of the ordinary.

They enjoy it.

Sometimes, I'll give her Cheerios, and she'll smile like that, and it'll be stuck inher bottom lip 'cause she can't find that Cheerio.

Michele: But those donkeys hit pay dirt when it came to my brother.

Jacqueline: She likes you.

Francis "Jerry" Coffas: This is the best food dispenser I ever seen.

Jacqueline: Are you enjoying yourself?

Jerry: Oh, I'm having a great time.

Look, you didn't leave any for anybody else.

Michele: Jackie,with her soft spot for brothers, allowed him a lot of leeway when it came to the Cheerios he brought.

Jacqueline: Never thought Cheerios were gonna feed the main goodie, huh?

Jerry: Yeah.

Jacqueline: We go for chocolate bars.

They go for their Cheerios.

Jerry: Unbelievable.

Did you mention earlier that youhave a vet that comes in that gives shots and stuff?

Jacqueline: Yup, yup.

Jerry: Oh, my god, that would have me the scariest heart attack to pay for all that.

Jacqueline: Oh, you know what?

She's very good to us.

She gives us a of breaks and-- Jerry: Oh, that's unbelievable.

Jacqueline: --'cause she's got a huge heart.

Jerry: That's unbelievable.

Well, people that work with animals have to have a huge heart, I think.

Jacqueline: I would hope so.

I would hope so.

Michele: I, too, wanted to learn all I could about this place where so many gave so much to help these once discarded creatures, not just the donkeys but any animal that needed a home.

The humans were quite amazing,to me, but as it turns out, they all seemed to be getting back just as much as they gave and often much more.

Cindy Jo Schumacher: We have people from all walks of life, all different personalities.

I think we all get along very well, and it's just a nice place to be at, just a peaceful place to be at.

I think anytime you're around animals and can connect with them, especially ones that comefrom kill pens and a stressful situation and come here, andyou get two, like this, that are very, very good with people, andright away, these two donkeys just loved being petted, touched, and brushed, which usually it takes a littlewhile for some of the ones that are more skittish.

So this is actually my favorite one right here.

This is my baby, huh.

You're my favorite.

I worked in a very high-stress environment in a federal job.

I retired when I was 62.

It's just something I loved to do.

There was no stress coming outhere at all, and as long as I'm physically able to do it, I'm going to do it, and it gets me off my recliner three or four hours a day when I come out here, so it's a good thing.

It's a good thing for me.

It's what I needed.

Jennifer Woods Heim: You know, our animals, especially our donkeys from the kill pens come, and they're so broken.

You know, you can only imagine the traumas that they've gone through.

We see the scars, you know,physically, but even worse than the physical scars are their emotional scars-- hiding in the back of the stall,cowering when you try to touch them and pet them.

So, I think, in a way, I feel bonded to them because of their traumas, because oftheir inability to trust people.

I don't trust many people very quickly.

In some way, you know, it's important for me to show them unconditional love and show themthat they're not their traumas of the past, you know, and that there's a whole nother world beyond that.

Jacqueline: Before this, I would work every single day, and I have off-- 'cause I work 12-hour shifts, I have off Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and every other Saturday.

I usually never left the house,never, 'cause I suffer horrible from depression.

Now I come out.

I look forward to coming outsideinstead of hiding inside of my house, so I'm actually helpingsomebody else in something else, and I find that a hundred peoplewanna be the same way, come in their sweatpants, come just the way they are.

The animals don't judge you.

It doesn't matter.

After I lost my brother in September, it was a year this past September, and I wasalready struggling before that.

I didn't even know if I was gonna start this place.

I was gonna not do it because I didn't have Johnny.

So, if I didn't have this place,I don't even know if I'd be here, to be honest with you.

I'm still out here every day.

I like laughin' with the people, and I still clean stalls this morning.

Everything still got done, and I'm not even dressed.

Michele: Well, it looks good on you.

Michele: Laura, the barn manager, is a recovering alcoholic and proud of it but, prior to coming to Whispering River, had been looking for something more in her life.

Laura: I was hitting that point in my life where I was comfortable with where I was at,but I needed something outside of my house that I could use some of my time, my energy, something that was fulfillingfor me outside of my family and my kids, and I kept seeing the live videos that they were posting, and I would go backand forth with my husband, like, "Should I apply to foster, to volunteer?

Like, I've never done livestock before.

I have no clue about donkeys."

And I think he just kind of gotsick of hearing me and was like, "Just do it or don't, you know?

Whatever."

So I came out here, and it's been--it's, just, been my second home ever since.

female: She walks so nicely for you."

female: She's a gem.

Except for today.

Laura: I've grown a lot since I started here.

I used to stand outside the stalls.

If you came here at thebeginning of this year and said, "I want you to go out in thepaddock with me," I'd have been like, "No, but we can stand on the other side of the gate."

Now, I mean, I'm helpin' Jackie wrangle donkeys.

I'm haltering 'em.

I'm walking them.

I assist the vet when she comes,and we're doin' blood draws.

I'll get in there, and we'llfigure out ways to make it work.

Michele: My working theoryon this is that the animals are healing the humans as well.

Laura: They are.

I have always believed that, as much as we give them, they give much more back to us.

Laura: You know, the donkeys, they're forgiving, and they're not high strung.

They're very, just, low-key.

Once they earn--once you earn their trust, it takes a lot to lose that trust.

Michele: The volunteers at Whispering River may not know it, but beyond saving animals, they are creating a legacy ofmemories for their own children and grandchildren.

Michele: How do you feel about Whispering River and the people that run it?

George Bilkey: I think it's cool.

I'm gonna be bringing some little ones out here.

Michele: Yeah?

George: Yes.

Michele: What's cool about it?

George: Well, the people and the animals.

I mean, animals have a way of always, kind of, helpin' you forget your troubles, and they uplift you even though they don't know it, heh-heh.

Michele: Jennifer's three children all volunteer at the farm,including Savannah, her oldest.

Jennifer: Savannah's her own person already, but actually, she told me that she never really knew how strong I was till she saw me at the barn.

Savannah Woods: My mom had been coming here for a while, and she was talking about it allthe time, super-passionate about it, and you know what?

She's dealt with a lot ofanxiety and depression, and she hadn't been passionate about something in a long time, and hearing the way that she wastalking about this place, I knew I had to come here, and when I came here, I ended up falling in love.

Like, these animals are--you know, we're helping them in rescuing them, but these animalsare an escape from our issues and what we deal with, day today, and it's so therapeutic to have a donkey come up to you that has been through so much and trust you and allow you to be in their space.

Savannah: That feel good?

Michele: This mom and daughter come regularly to read to Kevin, one of the mostskittish and frightened donkeys.

female: So I had to move Diesel out of the way to give him some Cheerios, and he took 'em."

Jacqueline: See?

That's huge.

And, see, without that,these animals can't get adopted.

Michele: So you're saying that the reading made a difference in Kevin?

Jacqueline: Yes, 'cause they sense that.

Cindy Jo: Oh, of course, it did.

Michele: Don't be fooled by the fun.

The work is hard, and the worry is endless.

Laura: We never have enough money.

It costs about five--I wanna say, we sat down the other day @and budgeted it out--betweenú5,000 and 6,000 a month to keep @the barn--you know, the donkeysúfed, to keep the barn going between the donkeys, the feed, the grain, the hay, the straw.

Some of these guys are on medications.

Some of them are on a special diet, so we never--it never @feels like we have enough money.

@And then there's the maintenanceúof the barn, you know, keeping--just, the upkeep and the maintenance.

And we had a water pump--our water pump broke.

@We were lucky enough that we hadúone donated to us, and that was, like, a blessing in disguise.

Next year, we have to redo the barn.

It's kind of sinking into the foundation, so we'll have to raise it and level it a little bit, and these are things that we think about that are coming up in the future.

Michele: Shortly after baby George died, one of the rescue's vets, Dr. Best, brought another sick donkey to the rescue.

This donkey was a one-year-old named Elvis.

Laura: She brought Elvishere because she firmly believed that, if he had a shot, he had it here.

Of all the places she could've chose, she picked us, and she trusted us to assist in helping Elvis.

Michele: The most important thing for the vet to figure out was what exactlywas wrong with the young donkey.

Dr. Jeanne Best: It's not neurological.

Like, he can move his legs.

His mentation is good.

All his body function's good.

Michele: Slowly and gently, they walked Elvis into the barn, and then they delighted in what appeared to be a promising sign from Mother Nature.

female: Oh, he's gonna have a pee.

female: He's gonna have a pee.

female: Good job.

female: See, I told ya everything looked-- Jacqueline: I get super-happy when bodily functions are normal.

Michele: But, again, it wasn't meant to be.

Still struggling with the devastating blow of baby George's death, the volunteerstook another hit to their hearts when Elvis, too, could not be saved.

Laura: We were tired.

Jacqueline: We were tired.

We were really, really tired.

He actually had a obstruction, like a stricture in his intestines, and there was nothing we can do.

There was nothing.

Laura: We were optimistic.

We'd--we came home that night, and he laid down like a donkey should.

Before, he just kind of crashedwhen he fell, and that night, we got home.

We slung him out.

We talked to him.

We talked, we hung out in the stall with him.

So then, he laid down like a donkey does, front legs, and then he dropped his rump, and it was like, "He's gonna pull through.

He's already showing us that he's got this.

He knows what he's doing," and it just had other plans.

Jacqueline: I see a lot ofpeople resort to alcohol, drugs, gambling and-- 'cause they can't find their purpose, but something here needs them.

In fact, I mean, look at your brother.

That donkey couldn't even get near anybody.

Michele: He told me, the last time we came out here, he said to me--the next day, he called me and said, "That was the best day of my life."

Jacqueline: And, see, I look forward to him.

He smiles when he's coming down the driveway.

That's why I can't wait for that next person, you know?

@I want him to make sure that heúknows that he can come here, day and night, anything, and I want--I mean, the whole world should feel that, and I hope that there's people out there that start these kind of things everywhere.

This shouldn't be the only place.

Michele: My brother was fascinated by Henry, a pig who was vastly overfed by its previous owner and who was a favorite of Jennifer's.

Jennifer: Look at them muscles.

Oh, what a big boy.

Michele: If you were to speculate, Jen, what do you suspect it is about our connection to animals that makes people feel better?

Jennifer: It's unconditional love, and that's a big thing around here, so, yup.

Jerry: Well, that's what everythi ng's about, I would imagine.

@That's what--I think that's whatúlife is about, unconditional love.

Michele: Trust me, I've never heard my rough-and-tumble brother speak of unconditional love.

He died a few months later, andthat exchange with Jennifer in Henry's pen is one of themoments I shall forever hold in my heart and for which Iwill be forever grateful to the volunteers at Whispering River who gave him such acceptance and brought him such joy.

And every day, in the sun and the wind and the rain and the snow, there is work to do with the goal of rescuing more donkeys from the kill farms and finding those donkeys good homes, all the while, making sure they can always care for those who aren't adoptable.

Jacqueline: And so they'll be goin' too.

So those two are adopted.

Michele: Do you hate to see 'em go?

Jacqueline: Oh, my god, the day that--yeah, 'cause I worry about 'em, you know?

I worry about 'em if somebody'sgonna take care of 'em like we will.

But every one that goes, we could save two more, you know?

It's just we only have so much room.

Michele: On this day, Jackie is on the phone with Debra Hurst, a retired businessowner from northern Wisconsin, now heavily involved in rescuing horses and donkeys and working to find them good homes.

Debra Hurst: With me, it would be actually no question.

You know what I mean?

Jacqueline: So you want me to send you the money?

Debra: Yes.

Jacqueline: Okay, so I didn'teven look at the page, how much they ever--were yet.

Michele: People like Debra and rescues throughout the nation, including Whispering River, had been able to cut the numbersof equine slaughter in half, but the numbers are still high.

Debra: I believeyear-to-date, it's, like, in the 60,000s have been sent toslaughter from the United States to Mexico.

Michele: She says that, when people send their equine to auction, they hope thedonkey or horse or mule is going to land in a good home but thatnothing could be further from the truth.

Debra: Once the kill buyers get them, they view them like livestock, like cattle, and they're treated like that, you know, poked with electric prods,hit in the face, trampled in trailers, fed minimum to keep 'em alive until they do ship.

How do you make a person have compassion?

Either you do, or you don't.

Michele: Thereis a bipartisan bill sitting in Congress which would ban the export of American equine for slaughter, but some say it won't be enough.

Those who care about equine say the only way to solve the problem is to convince ownersto breed far less or to somehow legalize equine slaughter in theUnited States to make it, at the very least, more humane than it is right now.

The volunteers at Whispe ring River do the best they can to save those that they can, like they did with this 12-year-old mule named Perseus.

Jacqueline: And I wanna make sure that I'm doing 100-best, that I can do by him, but hehas--if you've seen the pictures of him eight months ago when hefirst came in and how he looks now, just majestic, just majestic.

People ask me all the time, "Did you think it was gonna be like this?"

And I'm like, "No."

I thought I was gonna throwsome hay and have some water and bring in some animals from somekill pens that were--needed me, and it was gonna be easy.

It's not easy.

Michele: They can't save them all, but they save who they can, and that is the very, very best that they can do.

Gerry: I'm Gerry.

I'm from Gasport, New York, and I actually read an article in our little local paper, explaining about what Jackie and Laura are doing here, and I had to come see, and I've been coming back for a couple months now.

female: He's in a wonderful family now.

He's ours.

Michele: Kevin had a particularly hard life?

female: He did.

He had a bad life.

Michele: What happened to him?

female: I don't know his whole backstory, but he did come from a kill pen, and he's probably one of the worst broken-down who's here.

So I decided to adopt him.

He's my personal donkey.

Michele: Oh, Kevin is yours.

female: Yes, he's mine.

And we, little by little, he's comin' around.

I couldn't do this in September.

He would not let me near him.

Michele: And do you read to him?

female: I do not.

I do not.

Michele: Well, maybe you should.

female: I know, maybe I should.

female: I live in Rochester, New York.

We drive all the way down, just to see the donkeys and my farm family.

I didn't know if there was anything missing in my life.

I thought my life was complete with my wonderful husband and my job, but I found Whispering River, and now my life is complete because not only do I have the donkeys, I have my farm family that I love dearly, and they all mean so much to me.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ female: Yes, Willyá*?

Yes, I know you love-- ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ...