Afghanistan Update: More working animals rescued

More rescues by partner group, Nowzad.

Whilst carrying out a spay, neuter and vaccination drive at a Migrant Camp in Kabul, the Nowzad discovered a horse amongst the waste in a disused area of the settlement.
The horse was attempting to find whatever food she could scavenge and was eating plastic and dirt. She was in a seriously bad condition, with severe malnutrition, dehydration and sores all over her body from being worked too hard. 
The Nowzad team were saddened at the extent of the horse’s treatment and questioned the camp residents about the care of the horse. The horse was only between 5 to 7 years old, but had been overworked to the point of collapse.
Because she was no longer of use, she had been discarded (still tethered) in the ‘waste’ area of the camp, with an old blanket tied to her.
Najwa, Nowzad's Country Manager, made it her personal mission to rescue the horse. 
After much persuasion, she convinced the people in the camp to let them take the horse from them as she was no longer of any use to them.

Two days later, the horse arrived at the Nowzad clinic. The first thing Najwa did was give her a name, ‘Azad’, which is Dari for ‘free’.
She also received intense medical treatment for her sores and injured leg, her hooves were also treated by a farrier. She has been given lots of fresh, nutritious food and plenty of clean water and vitamins. 
Azad is enjoying life at Nowzad, she is still quite fearful of people, but has warmed to Najwa and our muleteer ‘Juma’ and allows him to brush her daily.
Animal Aid Abroad will continue to fund Nowzad to care and look after rescued equines in Kabul.
Nowzad came to the rescue of another horse called Dillan and two donkeys. Here are their stories.....

Dillan was found at the same migrant camp; tethered and ignored; he was eating from piles of discarded food mixed with household rubbish. His hooves had been left to grow far too long and from that his right front knee joint was swollen where he had been made to walk on uneven hooves.
We called in our farrier to work on Dillan’s hooves on site before we could attempt to move him to the Nowzad donkey (and now horse) sanctuary. Once trimmed to a suitable standard we then made the slow walk to the sanctuary through the street of Kabul……
Dillan is being treated for the severe malnourished state he was found in; we are also treating as best we can the swelling in his knee joint. Slowly he is trusting us; not before though he has reminded us not to stand behind him...ouch!

Sadly the animals at the many migrant camps situated around Kabul do not do well. Donkeys and horses are continually overworked and neglected. On a recent visit for the Nowzad vaccination programme, Pen spotted two donkeys that needed urgent treatment.
DJ; was scared and malnourished. Her hooves had not been trimmed in many months and looked misshaped and sore to walk on.
One Ear; as the name suggests only had one ear; the reason for its loss is not known. Timid and wary of human interaction One Ear was in desperate need of attention.
A truck was hired immediately to bring both donkeys to the Nowzad clinic where they would receive the care and attention they both needed. Getting them into the truck was a mission in itself.
Animal Aid Abroad will fund Nowzad to look after and care for these neglected over-worked animals. Fortunately, they now have a forever home at the Nowzad Sanctuary in Kabul.