SOUTH FORK — When Shoshana Olivier came to South Fork in 2020 for work, she was struck by the beauty and openness of the area and immediately fell in love. It would be a few years before Olivier and her husband returned to the area. Her journey here required her to pick up some friends along the way.
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SOUTH FORK — When Shoshana Olivier came to South Fork in 2020 for work, she was struck by the beauty and openness of the area and immediately fell in love. It would be a few years before Olivier and her husband returned to the area. Her journey here required her to pick up some friends along the way.
“If you told me I would own land in South Fork and five donkeys back then, I would have laughed, but here we are and I am grateful to be here,” said Olivier. After being a single parent for 16 years it was after her children headed out on their own that Olivier found herself working for a veterinarian and that is where she met her first of many fuzzy best friends.
“It was a mobile vet, and we did mostly large animals. We went all over the place near Granby, Colo., including a ranch that had miniature donkeys. It was there that I met Sister Nibbs who was a Mediterranean donkey who had a distinct cross on her back. We were told she may be pregnant and that she was for sale, so I called my husband, and we took her home,” she said.
A few weeks later, Sister Nibbs gave birth to Sir Nibblet Clyde McBuckles and the start of a new journey for the couple — Tiny As Is Donkey Experience.
“I learned so much. Sister Nibbs was a phenomenal mother and Sir Nibblet ended up being one of the best donkeys to own. The experience taught me so much and I knew we were in trouble,” laughed Olivier.
“We wanted to figure out a way to share our experiences with mini donkeys with other people and so we bought a property in South Fork. We are only now getting started and have more work to do on the property, but we have had such a great time learning about the donkey community that was already here. We can’t say enough about Linda and Lynn Childs who own Burro Buddies and the help they have provided when we moved here,” she said.
Like Burro Buddies, Olivier plans to focus on education about mini donkeys and to dispel false information that is out there about the stoic creatures.
“We want to share how to be a good steward for the animals and let people bond with them not only through events, but therapeutic programs as well,” Olivier said.
Olivier is still figuring out how the program will work here in South Fork but has already made significant headway with other events throughout Colorado.
“Donkeys can make a wonderful addition to any event whether it is weddings or educational workshops, it just takes time to train them and prepare them for the specific event so there are no surprises,” she said.
Olivier said that though the animals are gentle, they are unique with their own personalities and quirks.
“Donkeys are a huge commitment,” she said. “They can live up to 33 years and require proper diets and attention. They do not do well in inclement weather, their coats are not water resistant and because they are stoic animals, it can be hard to tell if a donkey is uncomfortable or in pain. They need attention and love.”
One of the donkeys for instance, Soda Pop, sits down the minute he feels uncomfortable in any situation, Olivier said.
“They are such amazing creatures, and we want to share that experience with the public. We want to help educate people so they can also be good stewards to these amazing animals,” she said.
Now that Olivier and her five donkeys are in South Fork, she plans to begin allowing site visits in the near future and will finish some events up near Granby before doing events in the Valley.
For more information or to contact Olivier, visit www.tinyasis.com or by following them on Facebook under Tiny As Is Donkey Experiences.