The Northwest Poitou Donkey Institute
Once you meet these gentle giants, you will understand the heart of our mission.
The Northwest Poitou Donkey Institute, a newly incorporated organization and soon to be non-profit, was established to support the Poitou conservation efforts and is located on Atthewood Farm in the Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve on Whidbey Island, WA.
The institute is organized primarily for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. Some of the specific purposes are to:
- Promote the development of healthy Poitou donkeys in the United States so that the breed will move off of the critically endangered list (which means less than 500 animals world-wide);
- Increase public and institutional support for the critically endangered Poitou donkey in Washington State and the Northwest;
- Establish a Poitou donkey center in the Northwest for the exchange of information and breed enhancement, and assist in maintaining an American Poitou Breed Book Registry;
- Educate the public about endangered farm animals and the benefits of species diversity in sustainable agriculture;
- Build partnerships among Northwest and U.S. breeders, creating a strengthened American breeding network for Poitou donkeys in the United States;
- Enhance the viability of donkey usage in Island County and Washington state by initiating a breeding program for 100% Poitou donkeys, training programs for agricultural use of the donkey, as well as for pleasure riding, entertainment, and as guard animals for other herd animals;
- Utilize Poitou donkeys for the exchange of low-capital technologies that increase the sustainability and productivity of people in rural communities;
- Establish a Washington chapter of the Donkey and Mule Association;
- Establish a Donkey Equine Reproduction Center in Western Washington that will conduct reproductive research, have current scientific breeding equipment, and have veterinary specialists for the donkey and Poitou donkey specifically.
While enormous media attention is given to vanishing wildlife, few know that many farm breeds are endangered today, some critically endangered. This means that fewer than 500 of these animals exist worldwide. Atthewood Farm joins other Poitou breeders in seeking to produce genetically healthy Poitou donkeys to work and to exhibit in order to promote them and educate the public.
One of those, The Hamilton Rare Breed Foundation, pioneered the use of frozen semen in the breeding of the Poitou Donkey and is the first to have produced foals with this technology. They have worked closely with the French Registry and French breeders who have done everything possible to help promote this critically endangered breed.
Atthewood Farm, a new breeding farm in Washington State, currently includes Nova, Olympia and Rhapsodie. These Baudet du Poitou jennets are listed in the Livre A registration books for animals that are purebred, which means that both parents are also inscribed in the Livre A Studbook and recorded with SIRE. Olympia, Nova and Rhapsodie are being trained to lead and to pull a cart so they will be able to plow the fields of our local community supported agriculture (CSA) farm on Whidbey Island. The Poitou is not built to be a good riding animal, but, as true draft animal, they are very strong and thickly built and exhibit a gait characteristic of a draft animal. Poitou donkeys that are trained to harness in the United States are not a sight one would likely see in France where they are used almost exclusively for breeding.
My efforts to help preserve the Poitou donkey stems from my deep concerns about diversity of species, especially farm animals. The Poitou, for example, is more endangered than the white rhino. It is in our collective best interest to preserve living species whenever possible, especially those we have had long and beneficial relationships with throughout our human history. Future pandemics could wipe out whole species of agricultural breeds, creating vast food shortages world-wide. Many endangered or critically endangered farm animals are on the verge of extinction. Monocrop thinking - whether it be for plants, fish or animals - is not good for a living and healthy planet.
We believe that we all must begin to live more sustainably and support others who make sustainability a daily practice and way of life. We must be inclusive, value diversity, support collaboration and encourage experimentation. Encouraging low-capital technologies that increase sustainability and productivity of people in rural communities can be an exciting part of our new thinking. The Northwest Poitou Donkey Institute is an effort to save one breed for a next generation. Once you meet these gentle giants, you will understand the heart of our mission.