Donkey on the loose in Woodstock hit by train, owner says

A donkey that was on the loose in the Woodstock area met an untimely end Tuesday, its owner said.

Dominic, a donkey who resided on a Bull Valley farm but escaped Sunday, was hit by a train Tuesday evening and died, his owner, Barry Naber, said Wednesday.

Spokespersons for both Metra and Union Pacific said they were unaware of any of their trains being involved.

Naber said someone notified him Tuesday evening that Dominic had been hit by a train and passed. He said it was a firsthand account from a trusted person.

“It’s all over the place now,” Naber said about reports of Dominic’s passing.

The donkey escaped from Naber’s Bull Valley farm while getting his hooves done. Naber said the donkey’s trainer was there and had brought their kids, and they were trying to corral Dominic.

“He went right through the fence,” Naber said.

Naber spent all Sunday, Monday and Tuesday searching for Dominic, who he said was named after the Italian Christmas Donkey.

He said he was “shocked” Dominic had made it to Woodstock so quickly, and he searched the town Sunday. Among the places he went to was the Woodstock Metra station.

On Monday, Naber hired a drone company to help locate Dominic, but there were no sightings of the donkey. Operation Wild Horse also reached out and helped with the search, Naber said.

Naber said he was told around 5 p.m. Monday that Dominic had been spotted in a field. He searched the field until about 9 p.m. Monday, but the donkey wasn’t found.

Then he got the message late Tuesday that Dominic had passed on.

It has been a difficult winter for the farm. Dominic, who was 6, lost his mate Duchess during a cold snap about two months ago, Naber said. The veterinarian thought Duchess died of colic or a heart attack.

Naber said Dominic and his mate came from the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada and were wild when he got them.

Naber moved to his Bull Valley farm around seven years ago, and said the donkeys were well taken care of. He said he built them a $90,000 barn, but the donkeys didn’t want to go inside.

Bull Valley Police Chief Tracy Dickens confirmed Tuesday that the donkey escaped from a Bull Valley residence. Dickens added that the owner hasn’t requested an official police report.

Woodstock Police Chief John Lieb said he believed it was Sunday when his police department was “advised of the unrestrained donkey.” Animal control was notified.