firefly

“Look what happened. Not only did little Ladybug have a baby… She had a mule!”

The sound of surprised delight in Clare’s voice was a perfect introduction to this little guy with long legs, long ears, and long lashes. He was found standing quietly at his mother’s side with the splendor of Sheeps Rock in the background. He was born into a beautiful, safe, and peaceful world, where he will never experience the abuse and terror that is mother endured from roundup to kill pen. The two of them will be free to spend the rest of their lives together.

It was a surprise to learn that Ladybug had paired up with a donkey at some point before she was rescued. The offspring of a female horse and male donkey is called a mule. A male mule is called a jack before he’s gelded, and a john afterwards.

It was a surprise that she gave birth in June of 2021, when we didn’t think she was due until August. Fortunately, we had already moved Ladybug into a pen with her friends, Twiglet, Grey Goose, and Cotton. Cotton would step up to give Mama a break and help her raise her little bundle of mischief to be the most loving and well-mannered, young john mule.

Little Firefly raced, leapt, kicked, and rolled with the pure joy of being. He’d slam into his mother as he pushed himself up one side and down the other as she stood trying to eat. He jumped up and down on top of Auntie Cotton as she slept, urging her to get up and play. When his mother introduced him to his first salt lick, he took right to it. Everything Firefly did made us laugh or gush over his cuteness.

Isabella was added to his family with her baby filly, Wildheart. This gave the two youngsters a playmate close in age to absorb each other’s energy. Though much smaller, she was bossy, forcing Firefly to develop ingenious moves to protect himself from her while still begging for cookies.

As Firefly grew, he became the self-appointed greeter of all newcomers. He was the first to welcome - and then chase - Maple and Stargazer. The little ones were gentled and loved on by people, but they also received intensive wild lessons from no less than Strongheart and Hera. At Skydog, they get the best of both worlds. When Firefly and Wildheart were big enough, their family was released in the spring and disappeared from view into the aspen grove. With the babies grown, Hera and Strongheart ran off with Pete and Soleil. Auntie Cotton settled into a romance with a big, handsome draft horse. More and more, we see Firefly leading the family from one place to another. Clare has referred to them as “Firefly’s Herd”. He’s coming into his own as the leader of a wild band - but don’t think for a minute that stops him from sticking his head in the cart for love and cookies.

Had we not rescued his pregnant mother from that kill pen in Kansas, Firefly’s life would have ended before it began on a slaughterhouse floor. What a tragic waste it would have been of a soul that has given nothing but joy to the world. His mother, Twiglet, and Grey Goose were featured in the Pass The SAFE Act short film made in 2021 with Jamie Baldanza (@thismustanglife). We cannot stop fighting for this legislation to permanently ban the shipment of American horses to foreign slaughter houses. Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2023.

#skydogfirefly

 Helping Mustangs & Burros

In addition to supporting our work by donating, becoming a patron on Patreon or sponsoring a Skydog, there are several important pieces of legislation to protect American equines currently moving through Congress. It only takes a few minutes to contact your Rep and Senators and urge them to support these bills:

Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2023 (H.R. 3475 in the House / S.2307 in the Senate). This bill will shut down the slaughter pipeline that sends some 20,000 American horses and donkeys to savagely monstrous deaths in foreign slaughterhouses every year.

The Wild Horse & Burro Protection Act of 2023 (H. R. 3656) This bill will prohibit the use of helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft in the management of wild mustangs and burros on public lands, and require a report on humane alternatives to current management practices.

Ejiao Act of 2023 (H.R. 6021). To ​​ban the sale or transportation of ejiao, a gelatin made from boiling donkey skins, or products containing ejiao in interstate or foreign commerce, which brutally kills millions of donkeys primarily for beauty products and Chinese medicine.

You can Contact Members of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121‬, submitting contact forms on their individual websites, or sending one email to all three simultaneously at www.democracy.io

See our How to Help menu for other actions to ban zebra hunting at US canned hunt ranches, stop production of Premarin & other PMU drugs, and defund the Adoption Incentive Program.