- author, Rachel Lucker
- role, BBC News, Washington
A pet donkey in California that escaped from its owner five years ago has been found living “its best life” with a herd of wild elk.
Auburn residents Terry and Dave Drury are convinced the animal photographed by a hiker in early June is their pet “Diesel.”
The couple said they were relieved the animal was safe and had decided to leave it alone as a “wild donkey” with its new family.
Diesel was startled and ran away during a hiking trip with Drewry near Clear Lake, California in 2019.
Weeks of volunteer searches were fruitless, and he was last seen on trail camera images several months later.
“We had finally given up,” Mrs Drewry told BBC news partner CBS, “because we just couldn’t see him at all.”
Hiker Max Fennell later spotted the herd earlier this month and posted a video of himself on social media, describing the donkeys as “happy and healthy”.
“It was amazing. Oh my goodness. I finally got to see him. Finally, I know he’s OK. Living his best life. Happy. Healthy. I’m relieved,” Mrs Dooley said.
The moose herd is several miles from where Diesel first went missing and is in an area that does not have any wild burros.
“They’re very different creatures but they’ve learned to get along and become part of each other’s family,” Mrs Drewry said.
The Drewrys have gotten a new donkey since Diesel’s disappearance and have no plans to try and catch their missing pet.
“It will be almost impossible to catch him,” Mrs. Drewry said, “he’s a real wild donkey now. He’s doing what he was bred to do.”
Diesel is about 8 years old, and donkeys can live up to 40 years, she said.
