The donkeys are running free once again in Cripple Creek. Every spring, the small Colorado tourist town releases its herd of 15 donkeys to much fanfare, so they can roam free until autumn, all the ...

In 2014 Lundgren first observed wild donkeys digging wells for themselves in the Arizona Sonoran, and wondered if other equally thirsty animals were taking advantage of the new-found water resource.

Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge Society is a non-profit organization that requires a great deal of monetary support to stay afloat. “Our budget here is about $350,000 a year,” Mainprize said.