saying goodbye to bruna at Animal Nepal’s special sanctuary

Animal Nepal recently experienced a heartbreaking loss, as their senior donkey Bruna passed away unexpectedly. However, life goes on at the sanctuary with a new group of veterinary students who are completing their internship in equine welfare and management. The sanctuary has also had an influx of visitors lately who are all keen to meet the residents, and learn more about working and rescued animals in Nepal.

Remembering Bruna 

On 7th August, we sadly lost our dear Bruna following a brief illness. Bruna developed colic on the evening of 6th August and, although she appeared to be improving by the morning of the 7th, she suddenly took a turn for the worse and sadly passed away. 

Bruna had been with us since almost the very beginning of the sanctuary. She was rescued from a brick kiln, where she had endured the difficult conditions working animals are so often subjected to. Over the years, the sanctuary became her safe home—a place where she could finally enjoy the care, comfort, companionship and freedom she had been deprived of earlier in her life. 

Bruna was the most senior donkey in our current herd and had a particularly close bond with Sangeet. They were best friends, and we knew that Sangeet would feel her loss deeply. Donkeys form incredibly strong social bonds, and when a close companion dies, they can experience significant grief. In some cases, this has a serious impact on their physical and emotional wellbeing. For this reason, we kept a particularly close eye on Sangeet in the days following Bruna’s passing. Thankfully, another of our donkeys, Raamri, has welcomed Sangeet into her companionship, and we are relieved to see him doing well. We will continue to monitor him closely and make sure he receives plenty of care, attention and companionship as he adjusts to life without Bruna. 

We are immensely grateful to AAA for supporting Bruna’s care throughout all these years. Your help enabled us to provide her with the safe, comfortable and dignified life she deserved.

While losing her has been heartbreaking, we take comfort from the knowledge her final years were spent surrounded by kindness and care, rather than the hardship she experienced earlier in her life. Bruna will be greatly missed by all of us at the sanctuary, as well as by the animals and people who came to know her. She was an incredibly special part of our sanctuary family. 

Veterinary Students at the Sanctuary 

Last month, we were delighted to welcome a new group of final-year veterinary students to the sanctuary for their internship placements. The students had the opportunity to learn about equine welfare and management, as well as gaining practical insight into the day-to-day care of rescued animals. Working with sanctuary animals provides an important opportunity for veterinary students to understand not only clinical care, but also the wider welfare needs of working and rescued animals—including nutrition, handling, behaviour, preventative healthcare and long-term management. 

We are extremely proud of the sanctuary’s growing recognition as a centre for learning and practical experience. Providing opportunities for the next generation of veterinarians to develop their knowledge of equine welfare is an important part of our work, and we hope the experience they gain here will stay with them throughout their careers. 

We also had the opportunity to provide a training session for a newly-registered veterinarian who is applying to become an equine veterinarian with the Nepal army. It was a pleasure to share our experience and knowledge and to support another veterinarian who is developing their skills in equine medicine and welfare. 

Other Residents Are going Well 

We are happy to report all of our other animals are going well. The sanctuary has been particularly lively recently, with an increase in visitors coming to meet the animals and learn more about our work. And, of course, the animals are thoroughly enjoying the extra attention! More visitors means more scratches, cuddles and - most importantly - extra treats. Many of our residents seem to know exactly when visitors arrive and are always happy to make themselves available to receive additional attention. 

It is wonderful to see the sanctuary busy and to have more people learning about the importance of animal welfare and the lives of Nepal’s working and rescued animals. Every visitor helps us raise awareness of the challenges these animals face and the importance of providing them with compassionate, lifelong care. 

As always, we remain deeply grateful for your continued support. Your partnership enables us to provide lifelong care, medical treatment, and a safe home for our rescued and retired working animals. With your kind support, we look forward to continuing our work in the months ahead—improving the lives of animals already in our care, while advocating for better protection for working animals throughout Nepal.

We are extremely grateful for your continued support and compassion. Your generosity allows us to care for some of the most vulnerable animals at our sanctuary.