Exec Gives Up Corporate Life to Start a Rescue for Needy Donkeys with ‘Bad Girl’ Attitudes

Are you an animal lover? Donkey King might be your next must-watch show.

In an exclusive first look at the upcoming series, viewers meet Ron King, a former media executive who walked away from corporate life to focus entirely on animal welfare.

“My name is Ron King, I was a media executive until one viral video about donkeys changed everything,” he says in a preview clip of Donkey King, which premieres Jan. 3 on ABC. “Our first donkeys arrived weeks later. We now rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome donkeys. They’re the best creatures on earth, and I’ve dedicated my life to saving them. That’s how I became the Donkey King.”

The docuseries, which will air weekend mornings on ABC stations nationwide as part of the Weekend Adventure educational/informational programming block, will span 17 episodes. Each installment follows King and the dozens of volunteers who care for the animals at Oscar’s Place Adoption Center & Sanctuary.

Donkey King was filmed at Oscar’s Place, a non-profit donkey rescue and sanctuary in Mendocino County, Calif., which has already saved more than 440 donkeys. The series highlights both the day-to-day realities of running a rescue and the emotional connections that form between humans and the animals they help.

“True joy comes from having impact. After watching a TikTok video about donkeys in need of help, I left my media career and founded a donkey rescue,” King said in a press release. “I can’t wait to introduce viewers to their new favorite animal. Donkeys are emotional, intelligent, curious, and hilarious! Donkey King is sure to bring joy into people’s hearts and homes.”

Before founding Oscar’s Place, King rose to the role of senior vice president at Time Inc., overseeing business operations for major media brands including InStyle, Southern Living, and Essence.

“Ron is enormously engaging, empathetic, passionate, and dedicated. What he has created through these rescues and adoptions not only changes, but saves the lives of both donkeys and humans. HMPG is the ideal partner to help us bring these stories to the world,” Marty Patch, founder and executive producer at Monument, shared.

In addition to spotlighting kindness, community, and animal welfare, the show leans into the big personalities of its four-legged stars. In the sneak peek, one mischievous donkey named Roxanne — described as a “bad little girl” — even wanders right into King’s home.

Donkey King premieres Jan. 3 on ABC.