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JANUARY 2025
REMY & MADYSON
Remy's Story
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In May 2024, Remy was rescued from an auction, a place where donkeys like her and her mom, Elvira, are often sent to face uncertain and grim futures. At just a week old, Remy was tiny and vulnerable, and we knew we had to act quickly to save her. Oscar’s Place was able to purchase Remy, Elvira, and two other mother-and-baby pairs, bringing the total number of donkeys we were rescuing from that auction to 25.
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The journey to safety was just the beginning. Upon arriving at Oscar's Place, it quickly became clear that many of the donkeys were in poor health. Remy and Elvira were no exception. Remy developed pneumonia, and at just a week old, her tiny body couldn’t fight off the infection on its own.The team knew they had to act quickly. Ten of the 25 donkeys were sent to UC Davis where they could receive the urgent care they needed. Remy and Elvira were among the group sent there.
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As Remy fought for her life in the hospital, her mother stayed close, comforting her through each IV, each round of antibiotics, and each frightening moment. Remy’s immune system was far too immature to fend off the infection alone, and for days, the staff watched nervously as the little donkey’s condition ebbed and flowed. But after intensive treatment and care, something miraculous happened. Remy’s condition started to improve. Her tiny body was slowly beginning to recover. The pneumonia was clearing up, and she was strong enough to come back to the ranch.
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Back at Oscar's Place, the recovery continued. Remy and Elvira were carefully monitored as they adjusted to their new life. The ranch was a far cry from the horrors of the auction, and it didn’t take long for Remy to realize that she was safe.
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Her recovery, though long, was full of love. Volunteers and staff spent countless hours by her side, petting her and offering her the attention she had so desperately lacked. She quickly became the sweetest, most affectionate donkey, always looking for love from staff and volunteers.
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For the first few weeks, Remy was timid and unsure, often looking to her mother for reassurance. Elvira, too, found comfort in her new surroundings. Slowly, the mother and daughter began to settle into their new life. Remy grew stronger by the day, and with each passing week, her playful spirit began to shine through.
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Though Remy had a rough start to life, the love and care she received at Oscar’s Place gave her a chance at a future full of happiness. The dark days of the auction, of sickness, and fear were now behind her.
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Today, Remy continues to thrive at Oscar's Place living a life full of love and care. Remy may have started her life in darkness, but she now lives in the light, surrounded by staff and volunteers who love her.
About the Photographer:​
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Johanna Siegmann is an internally award-winning portrait and architecture photographer, specializing in photographing people with their pets. A collection of her unique images, which capture the relationship between humans and animal, has been published as In Good Company (Notable People with their Pets), available online globally and via special order from your local bookstore. Johanna believes in giving back to the community, and a portion of the proceeds from the book are going to charity. She has donated her time and talent to Oscar’s Place for this calendar project.
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About Oscar's Place:​
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Donkeys are some of the most loving and trusting creatures on Earth, and when they suffer because humans are unkind, Oscar’s Place steps in. While we’re just a team of everyday individuals, we deeply care for and are committed to providing a safe haven for donkeys in need.​ We focus on donkeys because the world's donkey population is being decimated. Not by disease, global warming, or predators. But because there is a high demand for their hides in the creation of a traditional Chinese medicine.
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They deserve better than to be abused, crowded into horrifying transport containers, and shipped off to slaughter factories. Our mission is straight-forward: To every donkey that makes its way to Oscar’s Place, we will do everything in our power to keep that animal safe, healthy & happy for the rest of its life.
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We love animals, and quite frankly, we need to team up with other people who also care about what happens to these beautiful creatures. The good news is that it doesn’t take much to make a big difference.​When you make a donation, you help a donkey recover emotionally and physically from its past.
You are restoring their belief in humans as caregivers. Your impact even makes it possible to re-home donkeys to carefully-screened adopters, which enables us to bring more of these precious animals into our care system. Again, we’re not special, but our team consists of caring employees, volunteers, veterinarians, and farriers – all with a singular objective: to help donkeys recover physically, mentally, and emotionally. Every person on-site is committed to hands-on interaction with our donkeys, every day.Loving them. Calming them. Healing them. We want to show them that humans can be good. Can you save a donkey’s life today or can you share this message?
Thank you so much for caring.