A true animal lover

After reading this article in our local paper, I wondered if I could have been selfless and brave enough to do the same thing. I didn't copy and paste the entire article because it was quite long. Just to give some background, forest fires are out of control in the hills. An 87 year old man named Mosher has a pet donkey named Digger. When told to evacuate, Mosher could only turn Digger loose and hope for the best. Mosher was surprised to find Digger in the pen at the local fairground where all the evacuees went to find shelter. The article continues.....

Many of the animals were rescued by Mariposa County animal control workers. But some, including Digger, escaped death thanks to friends helping each other in this mountain community, where neighbors know each other -- as well as each other's animals -- by name.
Jon Currie, one of Mosher's neighbors, saved Digger. The donkey often made unexpected visits to Currie's place, about three miles away on Whitlock Road.
Currie found Digger on his property Saturday. It was about the same time that neighbor Wendy Vittan called. She was frantic. Sheriff's deputies were telling her to evacuate and she didn't know what to do, Currie said. Her husband was out of town and she had five horses with no time to save them.
Currie, known for his work with horses, had to make a quick decision. He also was under orders to evacuate. He could pack up his belongings and leave. Or he could help get her horses out.
Currie saddled Fausto, his Appaloosa quarter horse, for the 45-minute ride to his neighbor. He doesn't own a motor vehicle.
"He didn't get anything out," said one of Currie's neighbors, Eve Sheldon. "He had a choice of what to save -- horses or house -- and he went for the horses."
Flames paralleled his ride up the Mount Bullion trail.
"Trees were blowing up," Currie said. "That was exciting."
When he got to his neighbor's, with Digger in tow, the place was deserted, Currie said, save for five horses inside a roping arena.
Currie quickly fashioned halters out of ropes left outside the corral. And with Fausto as lead, he tied the five horses -- Ripple, Rosebud, Blizzard, China Doll and Trixie -- in a row. Digger ran loose behind. Currie led them out to a safe area where they were taken by trailer to the fairgrounds.
At the fairgrounds Tuesday, Currie twisted the edges of his handlebar mustache and gave credit to Fausto for leading the horses to safety. "He was bridled and saddled and ready to ride, looking like a hero," he said.
Currie lost his house and his belongings in the fire, including a cutter, rounder and splitter that he uses to braid rawhide. But he has no regrets. "It was the right decision. I'm convinced of that."
Mosher is grateful to Currie for saving Digger. The donkey is the son of Sourdough, who got "old and died," he said. And he's glad Digger has a home, at least temporarily, at the fairgrounds.

This is the stuff good movies are made of!

I hope Mr Currie gets some sort of reward for his bravery and his courage.
Maybe one of those reality programmes will get hold of this story and help him out. They seem to throw money at worthwhile (and possibly not so worthwhile) causes. Good on him!!!!

Yakut

That's very touching Lady Yank.
I hope someone sets up a donation find for him or that the local animal control poeple/shelter can set up a tribute to him somewhere! Or perhaps they can name the stables after him at the farm where he risked his safety to lead the horses out!