Wild burro ‘Cupid’ recovering after arrow punctures lung as authorities investigate series of attacks

A 2-year-old wild burro nicknamed Cupid is recovering after emergency surgery to remove an arrow that punctured her lung, officials said, in the latest of at least six bow attacks on donkeys roaming semirural areas east of Los Angeles.

Cupid was spotted last Wednesday with a blue arrow protruding from her right shoulder while wandering with a herd in the foothills of Moreno Valley, about 65 miles east of Los Angeles, the Riverside County Department of Animal Services and the county sheriff’s department said. Responders helped bring the wounded animal in for an emergency procedure to remove the arrowhead.

The projectile had punctured the burro’s right lung, Chad Cheatham, vice president of DonkeyLand, a nonprofit rescue organization that is treating Cupid, said Monday. "Right now she’s stable and is standing, which is a huge improvement," Cheatham said. When she is fully recovered, he said, Cupid will join other rescued burros at DonkeyLand’s 2,000-acre sanctuary and wildlife preserve.

DonkeyLand has raised $24,000 and is offering it as a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the attacks, the organization said. The Riverside County Department of Animal Services said the investigation is ongoing and asked the public to come forward with any information that could help identify a suspect or suspects.

Officials and rescuers said the arrows used in the Moreno Valley incidents were broadheads, a style commonly used in hunting. According to DonkeyLand, the first attack occurred the weekend of June 14, when a young burro was found grazing with an arrow in her side not far from where Cupid was later discovered. A few days later a second burro was found with a similar arrow in the same area. Since then, at least three other donkeys were shot in the vicinity, including a pair estimated to be two to four months old, the rescue group said.

Wild burros are protected under federal law and are an iconic symbol of the American Southwest, tracing their presence in California to animals used as pack animals during the Gold Rush. In Moreno Valley, where hundreds of burros have roamed freely for at least 75 years, the animals are considered an unofficial local symbol and are known to help with wildfire abatement by grazing on tinder-dry grasses in remote canyons, Cheatham said. "The firefighters love them because, they say, 'Man, these guys can go places we can't go,'" he added.

While many residents and visitors appreciate the burros, officials have also noted conflicts between free-roaming animals and people. Burros sometimes graze on homeowners' plants, block roads when motorists stop to feed them, and occasionally become injured by fences or debris. Last year, San Bernardino County contracted with the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue to humanely capture and relocate some animals to sanctuaries, citing risks to both burros and people from vehicle traffic and trains.

The spate of arrow attacks follows other violent incidents involving wild burros in Southern California. In 2024, two men pleaded guilty to federal charges after using high-powered rifles to kill three wild burros in the Mojave Desert, about 90 miles north of Moreno Valley, authorities said.

Riverside County investigators reiterated that the public’s assistance could be crucial to solving the case and preventing further harm to the animals. Tips can be submitted to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services or the sheriff’s department, the agencies said.

DonkeyLand and county officials said they will continue to monitor the herd and work with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds. Cupid’s recovery is being closely observed by caretakers, who said the burro’s stabilization after surgery is an encouraging sign as authorities seek to identify those responsible for the attacks.