Deeks is timid but friendly
When Darcy and Jim Gordon decided they wanted to add a pet to their family of two dogs, two cats, two horses and a pony, they turned to something more unusual: a donkey.
The couple, who live on a farm in Upperco, had recently moved their pony to an area of their property with less grass so it wouldn’t overeat and fall sick. But they didn’t want the pony to be lonely.
They heard through a friend about a donkey that had been rescued by Little Longears Miniature Donkey Rescue in Westminster. Darcy Gordon, who has over 20 years of experience with horses, decided to pay him a visit
“[We] went up there and saw him and sort of fell in love with him. He was very, very timid,” says Gordon, 65.
The Gordons named their adopted donkey Deeks after Marty Deeks, a character from the TV show “NCIS: Los Angeles,” whose floppy hairstyle reminded them of their new pet.
Gordon says Deeks has brought them joy and is relatively easy to care for.
“We love him — he’s great. I have a lot of friends who say, ‘Why in the world would you get a donkey? You can’t ride them; you can’t do anything with them,’ ” she said. “Truthfully, your friend doesn’t have to have a purpose — he’s just cute.”
Gordon says building Deeks’ confidence has been a “project.”
‘He was scared to death of people,” she said.
Gordon estimates that Deeks is 5 or 6 years old, and given the fact donkeys can live up to 40, she’s hoping for a long future together. “It’ll be the donkey that’s pulling the plug on us,” she said jokingly.