Blindlove Working Donkey Program, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa
We send a big thank you for opening your hearts and wallet to help us make a positive impact on many working donkeys cared for by Blindlove’s Working Donkey Program in South Africa.
Not only did they receive treatment for medical issues, but Blindlove were able to dedicate time and efforts to educating donkey owners on the importance of proper care of donkey harnesses, which has a huge impact on the safety and health of the donkeys.
Also, the gelding campaign was able to continue, with more donkeys going under, all to aid in controlling the donkey population.
Read more from the team at Blindlove.
Gelding campaign a challenge but a success
March got off to a busy start with our gelding campaign up and running again! Together with the vets from the Grahamstown Veterinary Clinic and the Grahamstown SPCA, we had rounded up 5 stallions that needed to be done on Monday 4th March.
Four of them were successfully castrated but one, however could not be done due to a massive hernia from an old injury caused by a stab wound which Dr Annie remembers treating last year.
While the boys were under, they all received the full treatment of hooves trimmed, teeth checked, dewormed, and treated for flies and ticks!
All of them have recovered well. This brings our overall total of males done to 5, with another 5 in the pipeline.
Getting owners to come forward and have their stallions done is indeed proving to be harder than first expected!
Donkey Welfare Outreach
Our donkey welfare outreach was held on Sat 23rd of March. 13 donkeys attended on the day.
All were checked for wounds and injuries and only one of them had harness related wounds on its chest which we cleaned, treated and advised.
One young boy asked us if he had put the harness on correctly so it wouldn’t cause any rubbing or discomfort to his donkey.
We are seeing this with the cart horse owners too- if the owners are careless with the harnesses, with straps knotted or replaced with other bits and pieces, not kept clean and so on, then we see injuries. Sadly, these donkeys and horses are often in the worst condition. We find the donkeys and horses that are in better condition, have owners that also seem to take more care with the harnesses and look after them.
Better care of equipment means healthier and happier donkeys
All the kids eagerly got to picking out hooves, putting tick grease under tails and grooming! Donkeys that had not attended before were dewormed.
We handed out another batch of our little humane donkey bridles. This time in a bright blue with a reflective noseband and browband!
The same young boy whose harness was a mess had also received one of our bridles last year. He had already broken the one cheek piece and simply replaced it with horrible string and a big knot! He asked for another one and we told him that he really needs to show us that he’s going to try and take better care of what we give him, and his donkeys, and then we will replace it.
There was one young girl who really took so much time and care removing her harnesses so her donkeys could be thoroughly checked, and again took so much time fitting them again, careful to adjust and straighten straps on both sides. Her harnesses and donkeys were in excellent condition and she told us she loves them very much!
Everyone received a small packet of crisps afterwards!
Our next outreach is Sat 20th April.
These are the kinds of outcomes that can be achieved, when wonderful supporters like yourselves all join in contributing your love and donations. You are making a lasting difference to the livelihoods of these donkeys and for that we are so grateful.
One donkey owner had a dog with an abcess in its paw that Dr Annie treated with long acting antibiotics
