Tell me how you view and treat other living beings, and I’ll tell you what kind of person you are. From this prism, the individuals behind the wedding venue, Hidden River Events, situated in the Swannanoa region, in North Carolina, may have never deserved the animals in their care, nor did the animals – goats, horses, and a donkey – deserve to be abandoned to a cruel fate.
Conversely, the people who got their wedding event plans at the venue thwarted because of the devastating Hurricane Helene, are true angels, embodying the best in the human race. While Hidden River Events’ decision hurts one’s faith in humanity, the wedding guests and hosts restore it with their brave and compassionate actions.
But what did Hidden River Events do?
Well, one of the wedding attendees, Kelsey McDonnell, shared the heartbreaking footage on her TikTok account, explaining in the caption how Hidden River told her and the other guests “to let their animals d*e rather than let them out of their areas.” In other words, the wedding venue decided it was best to let their locked-up farm animals drown in the rapidly flooding waters than to attempt to open the fences and allow them to escape a terrible death.
JJ deserved better
These brave people, who had no direct connection to these animals, did their utmost to save them. Thankfully, the groom and the bride’s cousin managed to break the fence and allow the three horses to flee their otherwise tragic fate. The guests also used a chainsaw to free the goats from their shed.
But, while there is a silver lining to this harrowing situation, there is no happy ending. Unfortunately, JJ, “the small donkey” desperately swam for 2 hours before he couldn’t resist the currents anymore.
Donkeys are incredibly intelligent and social animals, endowed with a mighty sense of self-preservation and the ability to form deep emotional bonds. They are also immensely loyal once you earn their trust. During summer vacations in my childhood, I fell in love with a lonely donkey to whom we would bring carrots and apples. He got to know and trust us. As soon as he noticed our car approaching, he would start braying and happily strut over to the fence to greet us. It’s been over a decade, but he still has a special place in my heart.
Although we do not see any footage of JJ, he must’ve been terrified while fighting for his life for two hours.
“I wish I didn’t read the caption,” one netizen wrote, “I’m crying so hard for the donkey, poor baby died fighting.”
“omfg I’m crying so hard for JJ the donkey, poor lil guy! Donkeys are so sweet and will protect you till death! he deserved better!” commented another.
On their website, the venue posted a press release where they defended themselves, contradicted Kelsey’s version by stressing “No guests were told to abandon the animals,” and provided reasons for not having acted.
“In 17 years of business, our animals have been one of our most treasured family members. At the time of the crisis, they were located in a paddock that has never flooded in at least twenty years of “historic” flooding. We thought the animals would be safe in the paddock.”
One does not forget one’s helpless “family members” and, having even the slightest inkling they may be in mortal danger, one would go above and beyond to save them. Some netizens speculate that insurance money may have had a part to play: “Exactly. I’d rather a slight possibility and never see them again than certain death. Other comments are saying insurance doesn’t pay if they are let out which if true is awful of them.”
Not having been present, we cannot know for sure what happened. However, it does seem like Hidden River Events took chances with the lives in their care. Supposing it is objectively true that the venue’s staff and management ethically failed to do their due diligence, then these animals deserve to be rehomed to sanctuaries where they will be treated like real family and not as mere money-making attractions.