Two stubborn donkeys help family heal after passing of late father landed them in son-in-law’s care, proving that strong will can be softened by patience: ‘For now, I'm just enjoying them running to me as soon as they see my truck’

Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor

Apr 2, 2026 9:00 AM EDT

If you thought it was only cats and dogs that get left behind after someone passes, then you are in for quite the surprise as we dive into this delightful donkey story.

People have kept all kinds of animals through the ages. From turtles, to bison, to birds and beyond, there is no true limit to what kind of pets people have had. Just take a look at Mike Tyson if you do not believe us. But when those people pass on to their next lives, those pets get left behind to their descendants to deal with and that is where our donkey story meets us today.

At the crossroads of a son-in-law trying to do right by his late father-in-law by providing the best possible care he can for the donkeys his FIL left behind. Through their trials and tribulations these three ride emotional rollercoasters and eventually come together in a show of love, admiration and comradery. So settle in for one of the sweeter animal stories we have had the good fortune of sharing with you.

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Wow, this is a tough one eh. It is bad enough when someone passes and their pet cat or dog is left behind for someone else to take care of without any kind of instructions. But for the pet to be a pair of donkeys, well, it is fair to say you would have a donkey sized problem on your hands. But we have to take a moment to commend this son-in-law for stepping up to the plate and doing his best to take care of these donkeys instead of automatically deciding that they should be sold like the cows. Because all animal souls deserve to be loved and by the sounds of it these donkeys were loved deeply by their recently deceased pawrent.
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Goodness this relationship is just so sweet we are finding ourselves tearing up a little. It kinda feels like one of those sappy romcoms where the young person comes back from the big city after something dramatic has happened in their country family home. And over time they soften to the ways of the country life once more, and with each passing day fall more and more in love with the way of life, people and animals of the country. And here we find ourselves at the peak of this story where our protagonist starts making real headway and giving themselves to the life they once led.
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