Tiptoe, The Therapy Donkey, Spreads Joy To Seniors: “He’s Found His Purpose!”

On a hot July day in 2022, a little brown donkey named Tiptoe eagerly walked into a fenced-in pen at a Corcoran, Minnesota, farm and trotted up to the big brown horse inside. The horse, Ty, was blind, but feeling Tiptoe brush against his chest, he immediately lowered his head and started gently nibbling along Tiptoe’s mane. The donkey returned the affection with gentle nuzzles along Ty’s chest.

Overseeing this touching scene was Erin Larson, who had adopted Tiptoe earlier that day from a sanctuary, her good friend Tabea Brockman and Kym Garvey, who runs the sanctuary. They all started to cry. “This is exactly what they both needed,” Erin said. “It couldn’t have gone better.”

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Fated friends

When Erin adopted Ty in 2021, she was told the horse had bad eyes, and when he eventually became blind, a 39-year-old gelding on the farm became Ty’s seeing buddy. Erin was touched, but couldn’t help wondering what would happen to Ty when his pal passed away.

Erin decided she needed to get Ty a new friend — another animal to stick with him, protect him and be with him forever. The perfect creature, she realized, was a donkey, which are known for their intense loyalty and toughness.

Three weeks later, in June of 2022, while Ty underwent a surgical procedure to remove an infected eye, Erin and Tabea passed the time scrolling on Facebook and spotted an emotional post from Kym, the founder of Save the Brays Donkey Rescue . It was a photo of little Tiptoe, his head hanging sadly, standing next to his best friend, a blind donkey who was suffering from a fatal brain tumor.

The last line in the post said, I just don’t know what Tiptoe is going to do once his buddy is gone. Erin looked at Tabea, and said, “This is it! This is meant to be.”

After Ty’s surgery successfully wrapped up, Erin arranged to meet Tiptoe, who, she learned, had a rough start in life. Soon after he was born, his mother stomped on him and left him with serious injuries. But vets during Tiptoe’s long stays in the ICU and his sanctuary mom, Kym, lovingly nursed him back to health, and he developed a gentle, loving nature for humans and his fellow equines.

Taking him home, Erin attached a bell to Tiptoe’s halter, and Ty would follow the ringing. The two spent their days eating, lying out in the sunshine or napping in a pasture together. But as much as Tiptoe enjoyed his time with Ty, Erin noticed that he would sometimes get bored. Donkeys love to be busy, I have to find something for him to do, Erin thought. And thinking about how much Tiptoe also loved humans, an idea hit.

Lifting spirits

In the fall of 2022, Erin decided to make Tiptoe a therapy donkey. On an October afternoon that year, Tiptoe, wearing a cowboy hat and bandana, clip-clopped into a local nursing home as Erin led the way. He walked gingerly into an elevator, and after the pair got off at the memory care floor, Tiptoe surprised and delighted the residents as he approached every bedside, snuggling and giving kisses. One woman sang the 1968 hit “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” by Tiny Tim to him as she gently stroked his face.

Tiptoe has even made home visits. In December of 2023, he visited Mary and Charlie Gibbs, who both have Alzheimer’s. Tiptoe was dressed as an elf — wearing an adorable red-, green- and white-striped hat — and as he ambled into their living room, like an affectionate large dog, Tiptoe tried to get up on Mary’s lap. He buried his head into her arm and nuzzled her, as she showered his nose with kisses.

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These days, while Ty remains his best friend, Tiptoe makes several visits a month to nursing homes. “He’s really found his purpose,” says Erin. “I adopted Tiptoe to make Ty’s life better. I had no idea a little donkey could have such an impact on so many people. It fills my heart with joy!”

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