In 2021, an employee at a local feed store noticed that one of the ducklings available for sale was born without eyes. Seymour was just a few days old when he arrived at Naughty Donkey Farm Sanctuary; he needed a warm, temperature-regulated environment to survive.

We turned a metal stock tank into a makeshift brooder with a heat lamp and cheap plastic thermostat to monitor the temperature; we set it up in our garage. Seymour called it home until he was big enough to join our other vision-impaired ducks, Pirate and Hook, outside.

A few months later, when the same birth defects that caused Seymour to be born without eyes affected his mobility, Seymour moved back into the garage where he received physical therapy and practiced using a wheelchair in a large pen.

Happily, Seymour is now a healthy, happy, mobile duck who spends his days foraging, swimming and relaxing with his friends in a predator-proof outdoor enclosure. He loves apples and mealworms and became best friends with a rooster named Pen.

Seymour was not the first animal who was rehabbed in a makeshift environment: We’ve run humidifiers in the bathroom to help rescued kittens with upper respiratory infections breathe easier and set up dog crates and portable heaters in the garage to keep chickens and ducks warm while recuperating from surgery.

We’ve managed to make it work. As the demand to rescue senior, disabled and hospice animals keeps growing, so does our need for a permanent, functional indoor space to provide temporary medical care—and the record-breaking cold snap this winter made the need even more critical.

We’ve identified an 11x13 space in our shop that would make an ideal infirmary.

Our stretch goal is a 30x12 “catio” that connects to the existing cat room to provide a safe, outdoor space for our colony of 11 feral cats to relax and watch sanctuary life.

With your support, we’re launching a $15,000 campaign to build this critical addition.

Why This Matters:

• Safe Recovery for Sick Animals: Many of the animals who come to us are sick, injured, or recovering from trauma. A temperature-controlled medical room will provide the clean, quiet, and safe environment they need for a successful recovery.

• A Secure Outdoor Experience for Feral Cats: A 30x12 enclosed “catio” will allow our feral barn cats to experience the outdoors safely while protecting them from potential risks like bird flu.

Your donation will directly fund the buildout of this much-needed space. This includes:

Building materials, insulation and flooring for the medical room.
Temperature control.
Bank of stainless steel cages for recovery.
Construction of the secure, enclosed patio space.

How You Can Help

Every dollar gets us closer to making this space a reality. Whether you give $20, $200, or $2,000, your generosity will make a lasting impact on the lives of animals who need it most.

Help us create a sanctuary where every animal has the chance to recover and feel safe and allow us to fulfill our mission to rescue, rehabilitate and spoil rotten.

Thank you for being part of our mission to save lives. We can’t make this vision a reality without your support!

Healing Starts Here

Help Naughty Donkey Farm Sanctuary Build a Safe Space for the Most Vulnerable Animals

Team Members