Healing Hearts Donkey Shelter And Refuge-Washington

06/22/2026

05/29/2026

For those of you who don't know me...My name is Paulette Quiroga-Jacklin, Executive Director of Healing Hearts Donkey Shelter & Refuge and founder of the Humane Animal Welfare Alliance (HAWA).
Recent large-scale animal neglect cases within Okanogan County have highlighted both the compassion of our community and the serious gaps that still exist in our rural animal welfare support systems.

When situations involving dozens of animals arise, local rescues, volunteers, veterinary clinics, fosters, and law enforcement are often forced to respond rapidly with limited coordination, resources, and no centralized countywide animal welfare infrastructure.

The reality is that our county depends heavily on overextended rescues, volunteers, and community members who step forward during emergencies. While their dedication is admirable, these situations also demonstrate the growing need for stronger communication, better public education, lawful animal welfare guidance, foster support systems, lost-and-found coordination, and cooperative resource-sharing throughout our region.

This is one of the primary reasons I created the Humane Animal Welfare Alliance (HAWA).

HAWA’s vision is not to compete with existing rescues or agencies, but to help strengthen communication, education, prevention efforts, and community coordination in a strictly non-enforcement capacity.

I hope to build:
• Better lost and found animal coordination
• Public education regarding stray and at-large animal laws
• Resource networking between rescues, fosters, and agencies
• Guidance for community members trying to help animals lawfully and responsibly
• Improved communication during animal welfare emergencies
• Stronger cooperative support systems within Okanogan County

I would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to introduce myself, explain my vision in more detail, hear your thoughts and concerns, and explore whether there may be opportunities for cooperation and community partnership moving forward.

I truly believe protecting animals in rural communities requires communication, education, cooperation, and community-wide support, and I would be grateful for the chance to speak with you for a few moments.

I will be planning several meetings with the Okanogan County community, animal welfare organizations, and County officials in the very near future. However, I invite anyone who wants to meet with me beforehand for a little one-on-one to get their questions answered, find out who I am, where I come from, what I'm trying to accomplish, and how I plan to accomplish it in Okanogan County. My contact information is below. Please call, text, or email me to set up a meeting date and time.

Paulette Quiroga-Jacklin
Healing Hearts Donkey Shelter & Refuge and
Humane Animal Welfare Alliance

Address: 121 Keystone Rd, Riverside, WA 98849
Mobile Phone: (509) 322-4995
FB: Humane Animal Welfare Alliance
Email: [email protected]
WEB: humaneanimalwelfarealliance.org
WA State DOR recognized: 501(c)(3) EIN #83-3176076
WA State registered Humane Animal Welfare: UBI # 604384310






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Okanogan County Everything Dogs
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Humane Animal Welfare Alliance

Community-Based Animal Welfare Support Through Education, Outreach, and Practical Solutions

05/29/2026

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TICK PARALYSIS?
I took our dogs in to see Dr. Cody Ames for their annual wellness check and vaccinations. He told me that the ticks are particularly bad this year (which I already suspected). What I was not aware of is Tick Paralysis. Vet Cody said he typically sees 1 or 2 incidents a year; this year, he has already seen 5 cases, and tick season is just getting started.

Tick Paralysis in dogs is a severe, rapidly progressive medical emergency caused by a neurotoxin produced by certain species of feeding female ticks.

It's not a disease or infection, but rather a form of poisoning that directly disrupts the connection between your dog's nerves and muscles. If you suspect your dog has tick paralysis, you must seek immediate veterinary care, as the condition can quickly become fatal.

Symptoms typically appear 5 to 9 days after a tick attaches and can worsen rapidly. The paralysis usually starts at the rear of the body and progresses forward.

Watch for:
*Wobbliness or weakness in the hind legs, causing a staggering or drunken gait.

*Change in bark or loss of voice due to weakness in the vocal cords.

*Gagging, coughing, or retching, which happens because the throat and esophagus become paralyzed.

*Excessive drooling and difficulty swallowing. Regurgitation or vomiting increases the risk of aspiration (fluid entering the lungs, leading to pneumonia).

*Labored, heavy, or rapid breathing as the paralysis moves to the chest muscles and diaphragm.

*Dilated pupils and an inability to blink if the tick is attached near the face.

*Complete collapse and total body immobilization.

What to Do? Call your vet or an emergency animal hospital immediately. Let them know you suspect tick paralysis so they can prepare for your arrival. Perform a thorough tick search. Remove your dog's collar and run your fingers firmly over the skin. Pay extra attention to the face, neck, ears, lips, and between the toes.

Remove the tick safely. Use a tick removal tool or tweezers to grasp the tick close to the skin, then pull it straight out. If the head stays behind, do not panic; the body contains the salivary glands that produce the toxin.

Keep your dog calm, cool, and quiet. Stress and heat accelerate the toxin's effects. Do not offer food or water, as their paralyzed throat muscles can cause them to choke or aspirate.

We've dealt with regular ticks and even "ear ticks," but we have no desire to deal with Tick Paralysis. So all the dogs are now sporting Elanco Seresto flea & tick collars for their third year. They're expensive, but they do their job.

Please share with your family and friends, and on your profile page,e so others learn about Tick Paralysis.

05/25/2026

A tiny baby bird embryo. So unfortunate. One of nature's cruel casualties. Found it in the barn on the steps leading to the loft. It was lying amongst its broken blue eggshell RIP, my tiny friend.

05/19/2026

Q: Is middle or late spring OK for grazing?

A: Mid-spring grazing for a donkey is risky and should be strictly managed because fresh spring grass is exceptionally high in sugar and calories.

Donkeys evolved in arid desert environments where they primarily consume high-fiber, low-nutrient vegetation.

Allowing a healthy donkey to graze for an hour or two can be done safely, provided you follow a strict protocols to prevent serious health issues.

The high sugar content in lush spring grass can cause painful inflammation in the hoof, which can lead to permanent damage or even be fatal.

Because donkeys originated from the African Desert, they are extremely efficient at pulling nutrients out of everything they eat and they have a strong instinct to constantly look for food; so unrestricted access to rich pasture can lead to rapid weight gain and metabolic disorders.

A sudden change in diet from dry forage to lush grass can disrupt the digestive system and can cause colic; so you should gradually start with very short periods of 15–20 minutes and slowly work up to an hour or two over several weeks.

Timing is important. They should only be allowed to graze in the early morning hours BEFORE 9:00 am when sugar levels in the grass are at their lowest.

Avoid grazing between late morning and late afternoon, as sugar levels peak during sunny hours.

You should also keep them.off grass if the overnight temperature drops below freezing, the grass may retain higher sugar levels in the morning; in these cases, it is safer to skip grazing that morning.

Monitor your donkey's physical condition frequently. Check for "fat pads" developing on the neck or ribs as this is a :for sure" sign that your donkey is becoming obese and needs to come off that grass before it becomes afflicted with Equine Metabolic Syndrome (similar to adult onset diabetes in humans).

Watch for a unnatural, stiff, gait where your donkey takes short, cautious steps. That is a strong indication that your donkey is in pain or in physical discomfort, and at the onset of laminitis.

If your donkey is walking like it's walking on eggshells or similar to someone walking barefoot on gravel; if it shifts it's weight from one foot to another, lying down a lot or standing with its front legs stretched out in front and the back legs tucked under the body, that donkey is foundering and needs to be pulled of that grass immediately and kept on a dry lot. A drylot is a paddock, a fenced enclosure or meant for holding and feeding donkeys without grazing on open pasture.

The bulk of a donkey's diet (approximately 75–100%) should consist of high-fiber roughage like barley straw. However, barley straw is hard toget in the U.S., so Wheat Straw is the next best thing.

Regardless of the month, the safety of grazing is determined more by the weather and time of day than the calendar.

The lowest sugar levels most often occurs between 3:00 am and 9:00 am.
Overcast or rainy days generally result in lower sugar production compared to bright, sunny days; and late summer/early Autumn Grazing usually becomes "safer" once the grass has matured, turned brown, or become "stringy" and high in fiber.





Hearts Donkey Shelter And Refuge-North Central Washington Region

05/19/2026

Most of us donkey people know that donkey pregnancies are usually longer than those seen in horses, but did you know that the mares and jennies have an ability to delay giving birth? Linked to their need for security and privacy, most foals are born at night, protected from predators by the cover of darkness.



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(Photo & topic credit: The Donkey Sanctuary)

05/06/2026

THIS IS MY NEW FOSTER DRACO (or Drake for short)!

He's an adorable 13-pound, 3-year-old Chihuahua mix. Dan and I are enjoying having this little guy around. He's lovable, super friendly with visitors, and listens.

When it's time to put on his leash, he rolls onto his belly for some tummy rubs. Once he's ready to walk, he’s all about exploring. Ever curious, he explores with his nose and walks with a purpose!

He’s well house-trained and crate-trained, and gets along wonderfully with our own chihuahua mixes. He's been fostered around German Shepherds and a Lab, and I've heard he’s great with cats and kids, too.

He definitely enjoys playtime and exploring is his favorite thing to do, but he is also ready to relax peacefully afterward.

Draco is fully vetted and eagerly waiting for his forever family. Born on 10/9/22, he's neutered and has all his vaccines up to date. If you're interested in giving this sweet boy a loving home, please reach out to Yours Dog Rescue via Facebook's Private Messenger.

04/30/2026

I know what she needs to do. She needs to have someone take that poor sweet dog away from that woman. Poor thing has no idea what's going on with that woman. She's already got a pre-conceived notion that he's a vicious animal.