Prodigal donkey gets her own Web site
By CRAIG CROSBY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel Friday, March 16, 2007
PITTSFIELD -- Jenny the donkey now has her very own Web site.
John Holt, an eighth grader at Lawrence Middle School, established the site to allow Jenny's owners, Mary Gaeta and her partner Joe Varricchio, to post frequent updates on the donkey's adventures.
"(Holt) came over here and set the whole thing up," Gaeta said. "It looks pretty good to me."
Jenny made headlines across the country after escaping from her pen at Mary's Garden, Gaeta and Varricchio's Higgins Road farm, on Jan. 18.
The donkey -- most now believe she is actually a hinny, the offspring of a male horse and female donkey -- remained on the run for about a month despite several capture attempts that included everything from wrangling to sedatives.
Gaeta and Varricchio established a fundraiser to build the donkey a suitable fence around the couple's 18 acres.
Gaeta, who said she is touched by the donations she has received, told The Morning Sentinel earlier this month of her wish for a Web site to keep Jenny's fans up to date.
Holt, who has his own computer maintenance business on the side, had followed Jenny's escapades in the media and decided he could help.
"I came up with the idea, 'Well, I make Web sites, let's go do it,' so that's what I did," Holt said.
Holt donated his expertise and his dad donated the $7 or so required to register the domain name.
The free Web site (www.marysgardens.info/) allows people to post comments and questions for Gaeta and Varricchio.
"It's a completely open forum," Holt said. "It doesn't require any sign up or anything."
Holt taught Gaeta how to post messages on the bulletin board and Gaeta has already added messages on Jenny's progress.
"Everybody's been helping them out and doing what they can, so I figured I'd donate what I can do," Holt said. "
Equine expert Karina Lewis, who spent more than a week bonding with Jenny and ultimately was able to lead the donkey into a makeshift corral, believes Jenny was searching for a partner, likely a sibling, that was sold separately at an auction last fall.
That partner, which has been called Isabella, was rescued by the Massachusetts-based Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue and Rehabilitation, a donkey and mule rescue league, and lives on a farm in New Hampshire.
Gaeta and Varricchio were raising money in hopes of buying Isabella to live with Jenny, but based on exchanges with Isabella's owners, Gaeta now believes the reunion is unlikely. The couple plans to get another donkey so Jenny will not be alone.
Lewis continues to make progress with Jenny.
"She seems to be doing well," Gaeta said.
retrieved 3/18/2007 from: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/3718271.html
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