April 19, 2010: Donkey Ball

[xoxoxoBruce]

Donkey Basketball, playing basketball riding donkeys, has been around forever. When I was in school, every year or so, they would have a game in the school gym... usually teachers against students.

Neatorama noted an article on the KOMO website, about a recent game at Snohomish High School.



Why is this news?

But not everyone thinks it's fun and games. Animal rights activists quietly protested outside, saying it's simply cruel. "The donkeys are pushed, kicked, shoved, and prodded to do something that is unnatural for them and confusing," said protester David Schirk. Some say the event is bad enough, but having it at a school makes it worse. "I think it sends a really bad message to children on how to raise them and cruelty to animals and to all beings, and what does that teach our children?" said protester Carol Guilbault.

In my experience, they never went to some farm and dragged a bunch of donkeys into the gym. It was always a professional outfit that supplied everything but the players... uh, human players. It was always called Donkey Ball, but that may have been a trademark of the outfit everyone in that area used.

But Bruce Wick, who owns the donkeys, says the animals are well-cared for, and really enjoy playing the game. They're trained to follow the ball, and go up and down the court. "When I back into the corral, they're all fighting to see who gets to go," said Wick of Donkey Sports. To help ease the impact on the hardwood, the donkeys' hooves have rubber padding. "They're pretty intelligent animals," Wick said. "And if they're sitting around in a small pen or stall all day, they're fighting boredom all that time."
Out on the court, they cut loose. "It was pretty uncontrollable, but it was a lot of fun. They've got a mind of their own, definitely," said one rider.

But animal rights groups say event also comes with huge liabilities, because people can get hurt easily.

Oh, now they're worried about the people.
I think they're worried about somebody having more fun than they are.