Wild burros in Riverside County struck by arrows in series of attacks; rescue seeks answers

At least six wild burros in Riverside County, California, have been wounded by arrows in a series of attacks since mid-June, animal rescuers and county officials said. The most recent victim, a two-year-old burro nicknamed Cupid, was found with an arrow embedded in her side that pierced her lung and required emergency surgery.

Moreno Valley Animal Services and the Riverside County Department of Animal Services responded after staff at the rescue DonkeyLand spotted Cupid stumbling alongside her herd with the arrow protruding from her abdomen. Cupid was sedated and taken into surgery to remove the shaft; rescuers said a follow-up operation was required to remove a remaining fragment.

DonkeyLand said the arrow passed through a portion of Cupid's right lung and came close to puncturing the left lung. The organization posted that the weapon scraped against the underside of her shoulder blade when she moved and that a small chip of bone dislodged by the arrow endangered her remaining lung tissue. DonkeyLand has asked for donations to cover medical expenses and announced a reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of those responsible.

The initial reported incident occurred on June 14, when a grazing burro in Moreno Valley was found shot in the side. Subsequent injuries involved a separate herd and included attacks on several foals. Two very young burros, between two and four months old, and another male foal about seven to eight months old, were discovered with arrow wounds; rescuers said some injured animals were not found and may have died. DonkeyLand described the arrows as similar in color and size across multiple wounds, raising concerns about intentional targeting.

Chad Cheatham, vice president of DonkeyLand, described the incidents as "heartbreaking" and said the attacks appeared deliberate. "Most of the residents, I'd say 99 percent of them, love the burros. They're part of the community," he told the Los Angeles Times. Cheatham said it is difficult to capture and treat free-roaming animals and that untreated wounds can become infected or prove fatal.

DonkeyLand, which describes itself as one of the nation's largest facilities for wild burros and donkeys, is coordinating with county animal services and local residents to locate injured animals and monitor herds. The organization said it has offered a reward "for identification, arrest and conviction of the archer or archers responsible for this horrible act of animal cruelty by deliberately shooting these innocent free-roaming wild burros."

Local residents said many moved to the area because of the burros' presence and are now on alert. "They've been here for over 70 years and they roam between the canyons and they're just so sweet," Cheatham said. Some community members cited concern that someone able to harm animals might pose a risk to people, prompting increased vigilance.

Moreno Valley Animal Services and the Riverside County Department of Animal Services responded to the most recent incident; neither agency had reported arrests as of the last update. Animal cruelty is a criminal offense under California law, and local authorities have urged anyone with information to contact law enforcement or DonkeyLand.

The attacks have drawn attention to challenges in managing and protecting free-roaming wildlife that live near suburban and rural communities. DonkeyLand and county animal services said they will continue efforts to capture and treat wounded animals when possible and to work with residents to monitor burro movements while the investigation continues.