The Story of Jose Jalapeno

"How Jose Jalapeno Found His Forever Home"

It all started on March 2, 2022, in Duffield, Alberta. I was looking for a buddy for my Saint Bernard, Cadillac, when a young lady I was dating told me about Jose Jalapeno—a miniature donkey for sale.

We drove out on a cold winter’s day, -15°C, to check him out. The pen was about half an acre with 7 or 8 miniature donkeys in it, but Jose was the only one for sale. As I wandered toward the back of the herd, he did something I’ll never forget—he walked right up to me, circled around, and leaned in for scratches.

The owner, Carter, looked shocked. She told me Jose had never come up to anyone before. When I asked the price, she gave me a number, but I was a couple hundred short. I told her I’d go get the rest, and that’s when she said the words I’ll never forget: “Nope, that’s enough—he’s found his person.”

We loaded Jose into the back seat of my truck, and let’s just say he made himself at home by leaving me a little ‘present’ on the armrests. I didn’t care—he was coming home. As we drove through Mayerthorpe, a lady spotted him in the back seat, nearly crashed trying to take a picture, so I stopped to let her snap one properly.

When we got home, Jose met Cadillac. He thought about showing her who’s boss for a couple of days but soon figured out she was his best friend. Now, Jose Jalapeno isn’t just Cadillac’s buddy—he’s part of the family and the star of every event he attends.