One resilient wild burro is back on dry land after an unexpected tumble into a septic tank in Golden Valley, Arizona, sparked a neighborly rescue effort, according to KTLA.
The burro had fallen into a tank at an RV park along Oatman Highway, inside the Black Mountain Herd Management Area, according to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The area is home to the largest herd of wild, free-roaming burros in the country.
When BLM wild horse and burro specialists Chad Benson and Eric Duarte arrived, they found the animal in a tight spot: standing on his back legs in a roughly six-foot-deep tank, working hard to keep his head above the opening. RV park residents believed he may have spent the night there in cold, wet conditions.
Then the community got to work. Crews pumped sewage out of the tank, carefully cut open the top, and used heavy equipment to lift the burro out with a strap. One resident helped track down a backhoe, while maintenance workers, Kingman Septic, BLM staff, and nearby residents all pitched in to help.
Burro in Septic Tank (L); After-rescue Rinse (R) (Photo Credit: Bureau of Land Management)
KJZZ reported that the community nicknamed the burro “Septic Tank Sam” before he was released back into the wild.
After his rescue, the burro received a much-needed rinse from a hose, plus alfalfa and fresh water. He rested, gathered his strength, and later that evening wandered back toward nearby public lands, cleaner, safer, and with one very smelly detour behind him.
The BLM reminds the public not to approach, feed, or try to capture wild burros. Anyone who sees a wild burro in danger should contact the nearest BLM office and provide the animal’s location, condition, and behavior so trained responders can help safely.
Wild burros are protected under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, and BLM is charged with managing and protecting them on public lands.
Lady Freethinker has also supported rescued donkeys in Arizona, including helping improve living space for a rescued donkey herd through its Urgent Need Fund.
Lady Freethinker is grateful to the BLM staff, RV park workers, Kingman Septic, and caring residents who turned a smelly situation into a happy ending for “Septic Tank Sam.”
