Ron King chatted about the new documentary-style TV series “Donkey King.”
It follows Ron King’s team at Oscar’s Place sanctuary in California as they rescue and care for donkeys.The episodes showcase donkey welfare and rehabilitation.
How was your experience filming and bringing to life the show “Donkey King” after running the sanctuary?
While it felt a little awkward at first, filming “Donkey King” was actually very similar to the experience of running the sanctuary.
We became friends and family with the film crew quickly, and it was a genuine pleasure to have them around.
They documented us doing the same work we do day in and day out — nothing was recreated, everything was captured in real time.
Standing in a semi-circle for team meetings and always having a microphone on felt a little unusual at first, but for the most part it was a remarkably smooth experience.
What do you like most about the show?
One of my favorite things about “Donkey King” is that it turned out exactly as we intended when we started the project.
We set out to introduce the world to their new favorite animal — the donkey — and to showcase these incredible beings in a way that would be truly touching to people.
I wanted the show to change the narrative around donkeys and to spread joy, and it is doing both of those things.
One of the pieces of feedback we hear most often is that the show is restoring people’s faith in humanity. That means everything to me.
What is your experience like working with the other rescue workers, who are now also cast and crew?
My experience working with this team is unbelievably wonderful. The people of Oscar’s Place — who are now the cast and crew of “Donkey King” — are some of the most big-hearted, hardest working, authentic, and loving people you will ever meet.
Working side by side with this team, even without the cameras, will be one of the greatest gifts of my life.
What did this show teach you about yourself?
Filming “Donkey King” taught me that my level of perseverance — my refusal to take no for an answer — was tested in ways I didn’t anticipate during the production and distribution of this show and it held.
This project faced real obstacles, and getting it to air on ABC stations nationwide required the same relentlessness that built Oscar’s Place in the first place.
I also learned that I can relax into a situation without needing to charge every room.
That’s a work in progress — but the show helped. And perhaps that I could stand up a little straighter!
What do your plans and hopes for Oscar’s Place and ‘Donkey King’ for the future include?
The decision to make “Donkey King” was centered around two objectives: to change the conversation and narrative around donkeys and introduce people to their new favorite animal, and to raise the profile of Oscar’s Place so that we can continue our mission of saving these amazing animals.
That remains exactly what my plans and hopes for the future look like — that people continue to fall in love with donkeys, and that Oscar’s Place can continue to save them because of the visibility this show has brought.
How does it feel to be a part of the digital age — with streaming, technology, and social media so prevalent?
I am genuinely grateful to be part of the digital age with Oscar’s Place. We utilize technology across both the administrative and animal care sides of our operation, and social media and digital communications are our primary methods of connecting with donors, sharing stories, and raising funds.
Through and through, in every aspect of what we do, being in the digital age makes Oscar’s Place better.
What is your advice for those currently pursuing their passions, and for those looking to pivot out of what they thought were their passions?
I had to learn to identify joy — and specifically, to make the distinction between enjoyment and joy. They are not the same thing. Joy, for me, meant impact.
So my advice is: find your joy, look for the common denominators across every moment in your life when you have truly felt it, and then lean in.
Then, get out of your own way. I was so convinced that I knew what was best for my life, so certain about what my next step was going to be, that I couldn’t see what was waiting for me.
I wish I could say I graciously stepped aside. I didn’t. I was beaten out of the way. But once I got out of the way, the most magical thing in my life happened.
So I say: lean into serendipity. Let go of the certainty that you know everything. The best things tend to arrive when you finally stop blocking the door.
What does success mean to you?
Success, for me, is that in my lifetime I have done the work to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome as many donkeys as possible — and that I have built the framework and laid the runway for this work to continue without me.
Creating a better world for donkeys is what I want my legacy to be. That is what success looks like to me now but there are layers to it.
I go to bed every night knowing I am making a difference in the world. That is not something I take for granted — it is what motivates me to keep going every day.
Then, there is the side of success I never anticipated: the impact on people. I didn’t start Oscar’s Place because I wanted to help humans.
We built something so genuine, and because donkeys are such emotionally connected beings, I have ended up creating a sanctuary where people come to heal — where staff dedicate their lives to these animals and find something they didn’t know they were looking for.
What we have been able to do for people as a byproduct of saving donkeys is one of the most meaningful and unexpected measures of success in my life.
What would you like to tell our readers about “Donkey King” — what’s the one thing you want them to get out of it?
Donkeys are incredible beings that deserve all the attention, love, and support they can possibly get.
Oscar’s Place has dedicated everything to providing exactly that. Watch the show — and then come meet a donkey. I promise you won’t be the same afterward.
To learn more about Ron King, follow him on Instagram.
