As we move into the holiday season I hate to share sad news, but as he had fans who loved him I’ll share the news that we let our sweet Banjo the mule go on the day after Thanksgiving.
Banjo, like his pasture-mate Toasty, lived a terribly hard life. He was a work mule on an Amish farm, but at some point in his life he suffered an injury to his hip and spine, that caused orthopedic and neurological damage. But he didn’t get to rest or retire. He had to keep on working, causing further damage even as his muscles atrophied and made him weaker.
I suppose the point at which he couldn’t work effectively any more was when he was sent to auction. I thank Dakota Williams for seeing him and bringing him into his barn so that we had the chance to get him.
Banjo was the most beautiful boy to us. Despite his hard life he never showed an ounce of meanness. His soft nose was always ready for love, despite having experienced not nearly enough in his life. He was absolutely the most handsome boy.
But Banjo was never going to be the dramatic ‘before and after’ picture that people seem to want to see. His injuries, and the damage consequential to them, meant that the messages from his brain to ‘put muscle here’ didn’t get through anymore. This is neurological damage. Muscle requires a message from the brain. Fat does not.
So Banjo, as handsome as he was, didn’t fit the dramatic physical glow-up mold. A fact that I care a grand total of 0% about. We are not in this for the picture likes or the credit. The only thing I care about was that he was happy! And he was happy. For 3 years he was happy and sassy and cuddly and he enjoyed his life. He didn’t have to work. He had warm blankets in winter and hot meals in his belly. He had fly masks and boots and spot treatment in the summer to keep the flies, who seemed particularly attracted to his muley sweetness, off.
He was happy, and sweet, and handsome and yes, he was bony on the back end. We got some side eye for that. That’s ok. People should question when an animal doesn’t look the way it would in ideal circumstances. I want people to question because that is what keeps animals safe. Our vet was happy and Banjo was Happy, so I was happy.
But inevitably, neurological damage and muscle atrophy are a ticking time bomb in a large animal, even in a small one. Banjo was sitting in his straw pile on Friday morning. He wasn’t stressed. He wasn’t panicked. But he wasn’t getting up either. I asked. I tried to get him up. And he tried to oblige a few times. But having done this for several decades now, you learn to hear what they are telling you, and Banjo was telling me he was tired.
Banjo lies quietly under the cedar trees next to his buddy Toasty. Two old men, given an unfair lot in this world, who spent their last years together, in peace, and I desperately hope they know how very loved they were.
Good journey, my handsome boy.
We are very short on funds right now and Banjo’s euthanasia and burial add up to about $750. Its a pragmatic truth that I wish I didn’t have to ask for, but if you are able to help your donation is much appreciated.
Venmo – Paypal.me/feelbetterfarm
Paypal – Venmo.com/u/Feelbetterfarm
Cashapp – https://cash.app/$feelbetterfarm
Zelle – Feelbetterfarm@outlook.com
I promise to post happier news soon, as I do have some to share.
Feel Better Farm Equine and Farm Animal Rescue 