It Took a Village to Capture Pancho

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This story has a happy ending. At the time, we had our doubts.

Last Saturday, my Beautiful Mystery Companion was on the tractor before 7:30 a.m. I am still on the disabled list when it comes to bushhogging and mowing because of shoulder surgery. When she finished mowing the side pasture and plopped down on the back patio to cool off, I went down to retrieve the tractor, which requires opening two gates — one to the side pasture, and another to the pasture where Pancho the Donkey resides.

Normally, Pancho obediently backs away when I shoo him off while opening the gate. Not this morning. When I carefully mounted the tractor, babying my bum shoulder, Pancho darted around the gate and out into freedom. I yelled for my BMC and unsuccessfully tried to get ahead of Pancho, who was headed for greener pastures.

It got worse. Despite our entreaties, Pancho trotted down our long driveway. I ran after him and out into the county road on which we live, which is fairly busy. Thankfully, vehicles coming in both directions saw both Pancho and me, waving my arms wildly, and stopped. Pancho trotted straight across the road into a dead-end lane that has three houses on it, with two more under construction. It is about a mile in length, with a small lake and lots of grass. It is my morning walking route. We jumped in the truck and followed, worried sick about traffic and exactly how we were going to get him back inside our pasture.

It was time to call in the cavalry. I called the sheriff, who in turn called our county commissioner, who lives just down the road. The commissioner showed up, as did Pancho’s original Food Guy, my brother-in-law, Jim. Pancho kept his distance, occasionally allowing my BMC to stroke his mane, but spooking quickly at the sight of the rope and halter I had retrieved. He has never been halter broke, so even if we managed to get it on him — doubtful — there was no way to lead him back home. He is far too strong to control.

After about an hour’s standoff — joined by a couple of sheriff’s deputies, the neighbors in whose yard Pancho decided to graze, a buddy who came out to work on the fish feeder and willingly joined the crowd — a sheriff’s department cattle trailer rumbled down the lane, with two fellows inside the truck. They pulled livestock panels off each side of the trailer and set up a wide chute, about a dozen of us sweating profusely in the 95-degree heat.

Pancho stood on top of the hill near the neighbors’ house, watching all the activity below. We tried several times to persuade Pancho to head toward the trailer, but he dodged us. Luckily, he stayed close by. One of the sheriff’s department fellows shook a large bag partially filled with Little Friskies cat food, which got Pancho’s attention. We formed a loose cordon to keep him headed in the right direction, down the hill and into the chute formed by the fence panels attached to the trailer.

Finally, success! Pancho followed the fellow inside the panels, which were quickly closed. He resisted for a bit but finally clambered into the trailer. About 10 minutes later, he was safely back inside our pasture. We thanked everyone profusely for their help. My BMC bought thank-you cards a few days later to send to all those involved.

Sometimes it takes a village. We would never have gotten Pancho back on our own. I learned a lesson about never leaving the gate open, even for a moment. Our county commissioner and sheriff quickly and efficiently came to our rescue, assisted by our neighbors and friends. I will do my level best to make sure that never happens again. Meanwhile, Pancho was rewarded a few days later with two fresh bales of hay, as well as a bucket of shredded wheat, bananas, grapes and carrots. I think he is glad to be back home.

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