Donkeys on a diet: Cripple Creek donkeys work to combat weight gain

CRIPPLE CREEK • Just past the donkey stables in Cripple Creek, down a dirt road, there’s a wooden feed stand layered in signs.

“Please NO carrots, NO apples, NO bananas, NO human food” the signs emphasize, with bright images of the foods crossed out by a red ban circle.

Several visitors stop by, waiting to see the critters come out of their shelter to receive pets and treats. In their hands, they carry brown paper bags holding doctor-approved treats — high-protein hay cubes.

There’s a cooler full of them, too, in case you forgot your own. For a small donation ($1 suggested), you can grab a cube to feed the burros.

The sound of the crinkling paper bags sends the donkeys running (or perhaps more accurately, lightly jogging). They trot, some more enthusiastic than others, some waiting for