Meet Merle! This donkey came to Longmeadow in the late summer of 2025. He was intact but as sweet as could be! He made it through his quarantine phase and was given his necessary medical care before being castrated by a vet. His kind, gentle personality never left and now he is ready to find his forever home!
Merle has proven himself to be quite the gentleman, especially considering he was only recently gelded. He handled his evaluation by our trainers with quiet thoughtfulness, passing most of his tests with ease. While fly spray and trailer loading weren’t his favorite activities, he remained honest and composed during both, never trying to rush off, just taking his time to decide if he felt comfortable. With a little confidence-building and desensitizing, we believe he’ll likely improve quickly.
In the barn, Merle is polite and cooperative, even when he’s feeling unsure. He allowed all four feet to be picked up by our trainers and farrier without a fuss, which is no small compliment coming from a donkey who clearly likes to assess new people carefully. He’s easy to handle for daily care and is fine with staff administering oral medications and being blanketed. True to donkey nature, Merle is slow and observant, preferring to survey his surroundings before moving forward at his own deliberate pace. Despite his thoughtful approach to life, he genuinely seems to enjoy human company, often poking his sweet little nose out of his stall in search of kisses.
Merle currently lives alone in a stall but is turned out with other mini equine here at the Ranch and he gets along well with his herd. We think Merle would make a great addition to a herd or as a companion to another equine at home.
Adoption Fee: $700 Height: 11.2hh
Meet Merle! This donkey came to Longmeadow in the late summer of 2025. He was intact but as sweet as could be! He made it through his quarantine phase and was given his necessary medical care before being castrated by a vet. His kind, gentle personality never left and now he is ready to find his forever home!
Merle has proven himself to be quite the gentleman, especially considering he was only recently gelded. He handled his evaluation by our trainers with quiet thoughtfulness, passing most of his tests with ease. While fly spray and trailer loading weren’t his favorite activities, he remained honest and composed during both, never trying to rush off, just taking his time to decide if he felt comfortable. With a little confidence-building and desensitizing, we believe he’ll likely improve quickly.
In the barn, Merle is polite and cooperative, even when he’s feeling unsure. He allowed all four feet to be picked up by our trainers and farrier without a fuss, which is no small compliment coming from a donkey who clearly likes to assess new people carefully. He’s easy to handle for daily care and is fine with staff administering oral medications and being blanketed. True to donkey nature, Merle is slow and observant, preferring to survey his surroundings before moving forward at his own deliberate pace. Despite his thoughtful approach to life, he genuinely seems to enjoy human company, often poking his sweet little nose out of his stall in search of kisses.
Merle currently lives alone in a stall but is turned out with other mini equine here at the Ranch and he gets along well with his herd. We think Merle would make a great addition to a herd or as a companion to another equine at home.
Horses, cows, goats, potbellied pigs and other animals at our Longmeadow Rescue Ranch in Union, MO are available for visits during our Open House / Adoption Days every Friday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you are interested in meeting our adoptable animals or our Barn Buddies who are available for sponsorship, please visit the ranch during one of these days or call 636-583-8759 to schedule a visit on another day.
Horses, cows, goats, potbellied pigs and other animals at our Longmeadow Rescue Ranch in Union, MO are available for visits during our Open House / Adoption Days every Friday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you are interested in meeting our adoptable animals or our Barn Buddies who are available for sponsorship, please visit the ranch during one of these days or call 636-583-8759 to schedule a visit on another day.
More about this shelter
Nestled among 165-acres of woodland near Union, Missouri, the Humane Society of Missouri’s Longmeadow Rescue Ranch is haven for hundreds of abused and neglected horses, cows, goats, pigs, ducks and other farm animals. The ranch is one of the most comprehensive horse and farm animal care and rehabilitation centers in the country. In addition to animal care, ranch staff provide hands-on humane education experiences for both children and adults.
Nestled among 165-acres of woodland near Union, Missouri, the Humane Society of Missouri’s Longmeadow Rescue Ranch is haven for hundreds of abused and neglected horses, cows, goats, pigs, ducks and other farm animals. The ranch is one of the most comprehensive horse and farm animal care and rehabilitation centers in the country. In addition to animal care, ranch staff provide hands-on humane education experiences for both children and adults.
Other pets at this
shelter
We'll also keep you updated on XANTHUS's adoption status with email updates.
