In honor of our Kids & Pets issue, we're introducing you to the three amigos: Hank, Tinkerbell, and Fiona. The trio of mini burros belong to Danielle Stutz, animal lover and owner of Desert Beer Burros.
We sat down with Danielle to get the scoop on mothering the adorable trifecta and running her burro biz.
WHAT IS DESERT BEER BURROS?
Launched in 2022,Desert Beer Burros is an event entertainment service where we bring one or more of our adorable miniature donkeys (burros), dressed to impress and ready to serve guests beverages, party favors, treats or hand out marketing/fundraising materials.
Attending events is what they do best. They’re gentle, appreciate a good pet, are always camera ready, and love a good selfie.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE BUSINESS?
My husband, Matthew, is a DJ and had seen a burro at a gig he was working. We had just moved onto our property, and I was excited because the house came with a small arena, an enclosed barn, and shaded stalls. I knew I was going to acquire animals, but once Matthew told me about the burro concept, my game plan shifted to building my business.
DID YOU ALWAYS LOVE BURROS?
I admire how burros are stoic in nature. They’re also therapeutic. I often sit in the middle of the arena, and they all come up to me, nestle, and beg for ear rubs.
WHERE DID YOU GET THE BURROS?
Tinkerbell, Fiona and our original male burro, Monte, were picked up from a wonderful family in Apache Junction. Upon bringing them to our ranch, bedding and premium Bermuda hay awaited their arrival. When we lost Monte unexpectedly, the girls were devastated, so we contacted Daisy Acre Ranch and Rescue where we found Hank. He was Monte’s twin, and the girls took to him immediately.
DESCRIBE THE BURRO DEMEANOR.
Some say burros are stubborn, but I prefer the word: observant... we’re on their schedule. If Hank feels he needs to stand in one spot, there isn’t much I can do about it. But, if I give him the time he needs, Hank is happy to move along. Burros are calm and personable. They love going on walks around the neighborhood, enjoy chasing our dog, and playing with their ball.
DO THEY MISBEHAVE?
Unwanted behavior is rare, but it’s essential to have equine-trained handlers. I’m not a fan of the term: “misbehaving.” They’re animals.
WHAT IF AN EVENT IS INSIDE?
Our burros have booties ensuring they won’t scratch floors; it also protects them from sliding. In addition, they wear comfortable “donkey diapers.” We haven’t had any accidents yet…
WHAT'S IT LIKE CARING FOR YOUR PETS?
It’s a constant cycle of picking up waste, filling their water, making sure their bedding is dry, and that their arena is intact. You must tend to their feet and have their teeth checked. They need routine vet appointments. They are not an animal you can simply leave in a stall with hay.
Every morning our family is greeted with Tinkerbell’s “breakfast time” bray as she lets out a loud noise. That bray is then joined by Hank, Fiona, our horse, and our goats - braying, neighing, and bleating out of pure excitement to eat.
They have a shaded stall, but we often let them roam around.Our animals are our family.
Burros are a working animal physically built for this type of job. We prioritize the health and wellbeing of our animals. If a burro is sick, they won’t be in rotation until cleared by the vet.
Our burros are very loving and very loved. desertbeerburros.com