A pair of wandering donkeys made an unexpected stop at a Bellingham fire station last weekend, setting off a slow-speed chase involving both the Bellingham Police Department and the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office before the animals were safely corralled and handed over to Whatcom Humane Society Animal Control.
The animals, one male and one female, were spotted roaming the middle of Alderwood Avenue near Bennett Road early Saturday morning. Corporal C. Puhan and Officer C. Brearley of the Bellingham Police Department responded along with Whatcom County Sheriff's Office Deputy Wanlin. What followed was what the Sheriff's Office cheerfully described as a slow-speed pursuit, with officers using vehicle operations skills to gently herd the pair toward safety.
The chase ended at Whatcom County Fire District 8 on Marine Drive, where the two donkeys were successfully corralled. Officers managed the job without any lasso training, the Sheriff's Office noted with some amusement.
From the Fire Station to the Farm
After the initial roundup, the Bellingham Fire Department reported that the donkeys spent some time at one of their fire stations, keeping the crew company before Whatcom Humane Society Animal Control arrived to pick them up. The pair were transported to the WHS farm facility, where they are currently being cared for.
As of the Bellingham Fire Department's post on September 17, no owners had initially come forward and no reports of missing livestock had been filed in the area. The donkeys remained something of a mystery. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office later updated that the animals had been reunited with their owners, who described them as cherished pets that had gotten a little too clever and staged a short-lived escape from their enclosure.
Anyone with questions about found livestock can contact Whatcom Humane Society Animal Control at 360-733-2080, extension 3017.
An Unusual Call, But a Model of Teamwork
The Sheriff's Office noted that escaped donkey calls in the city of Bellingham are rare, with the office acknowledging it had not fielded one quite like this in several decades. The incident drew praise from both agencies for the teamwork displayed between Bellingham Police and the Sheriff's Office on what was, by any standard, an out-of-the-ordinary call.
While loose livestock calls are uncommon in Bellingham proper, they are not unheard of in the broader Whatcom County area. The county's mix of urban neighborhoods and working agricultural land means animals occasionally wander from farms and rural properties onto public roads. The stretch of Marine Drive near Whatcom County Fire District 8 sees consistent traffic, making a pair of roaming donkeys a genuine safety concern as well as a memorable story.
What Residents Should Know About Loose Livestock
The story is charming, but it points to something practical for Whatcom County residents who keep livestock or large animals. Washington State law requires livestock owners to maintain adequate fencing and secure enclosures. When animals do escape, prompt reporting to animal control helps get them home safely and keeps roads clear.
The Whatcom Humane Society operates animal control services across the county, handling calls involving domestic pets and livestock alike. Their farm facility provides temporary shelter for larger animals when needed. For routine lost-and-found animal inquiries, the main line is 360-733-2080.
The Bellingham Fire Department, headquartered at 210 Lottie Street and operating stations across the city, regularly trains for major emergencies, from structure fires to mass casualty events. It is less common that a shift ends with donkeys in the apparatus bay. The crew at the station that hosted the pair seemed to take it in stride, and both agencies gave the incident the good humor it deserved. For more on how Bellingham first responders engage with the broader community, including joint exercises and public safety events, visit the City of Bellingham website. You can also catch up on recent first-responder news in this look at new Bellingham Fire Department paramedic certifications from earlier this year.
