Dedicated Care Improves Working Animal Welfare in South Africa
During November, Blind Love treated 27 working donkeys and 78 horses at their outreach days. With help from your fantastic donations, every animals was provided with a health check, essential veterinary care and humane equipment including harnesses.
Read on to see how working animals’ welfare is being improved in South Africa:
DONKEY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
We held our donkey outreach day on Saturday, 22nd of November. There was a good turnout with 27 donkeys being treated on the day. All donkeys were checked for minor wounds and injuries. Thankfully, we saw no serious injuries at all on the day. Donkeys were also treated for ticks, flies and dewormed if necessary. Harnesses and tack were checked and adjusted, and another 12 humane harnesses were issued to owners.
Last month, we treated a young female donkey and her mum who had been badly burnt. Vet, Dr Annie, suspected a chemical burn due to the severity. Sadly, when she treated the younger donkey again, all the skin on one side of her backside had died. Dr Annie said all the nerve endings in the tissue were dead, and underneath the flap of dead skin it was horribly infected.
Dr Annie provided further treatment by cutting off all the dead skin and attaching a poly foam bandage over the entire area. We also left a big round bale of hay for this little donkey to eat, as she had lost an incredible amount of weight battling this injury. Donkey owner and community liaison person, Michael, provided this poor donkey with daily care. We are pleased to report she is now healing well.
During November, we also had word from Percy’s owner (you may remember the donkey who was stabbed above his eye with a knife and had healed well), that Percy had been in a fight with another owner and couldn’t walk. Dr Annie checked on him and found horrible swelling from his hip all the way down to his knee. She suspected a broken pelvis or leg.
Dr Annie treated Percy and left the owner with strict instructions to confine him and provide anti-inflammatories. When Dr Annie completed a follow-up visit, the swelling was down and she could examine Percy properly. His leg was indeed broken, but she is still hopeful that if the owner can keep him confined and safe for ten weeks, he will heal. We know Percy is a much-loved donkey and we trust his owner will do everything within his power to keep him safe and allow him to heal. We receive regular videos showing us how Percy is going and showing him being fed apples and sandwiches!
WORKING HORSES OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
It was another busy month for the team up in the Free State. They held four outreach days in Thaba’nchu, as well as days in Tweefontein, Driefontein and Botshabelo.
Seventy-eight horses were treated during November. On Saturday, 1st of November, the team also went to a cultural festival where some horse owners had been invited to attend.
The horses in the tribal villages were all looking healthy and had very few or no injuries at all! Their owners expressed deep gratitude to Blind Love for helping them care for their horses. Each horse was treated for ticks and flies, and dewormed.
In the village of Driefontein, the team provided much-needed farrier services on the day. Here, most horses are barefoot, so only trimming is required with the correct tools. Each owner also received a small container of wound care ointment to take home with them.
Over the four outreaches at the cart horse rank in Thaba’nchu, the team conducted their usual activities to manage parasites. They also treated saddles sores, handed out humane harnesses and other donated tack items like fly masks, numnahs and halters.
We would like to say thank you to all Animal Aid Abroad donors for your generous, ongoing support of both these programs for working equines in South Africa.