New partner group Zambezi Working Donkey Project

AAA has a new partner group in Zambia - The Zambezi Working Donkey Project (ZWDP). They have sent us an update on their activity during July.

"July was a positive month for ZWDP as we re-launched our Mobile Clinic after 4 months’ absence due to Covid-19 restrictions. While the pandemic continues to affect every aspect of life in Zambia, winter is the best time to reach the rural communities (while the weather is cool and dry) so we are working with community leaders to organise outreaches while applying strict attendance and distancing rules, as well as hygiene practices.
Mutonga village in Mukuni Chiefdom has a large population with a great majority of households owning, or having access to use, donkey scotch carts. It is also somewhere that historically we have seen some of the worst cases of neglect and abuse due to the lack of knowledge about donkey welfare. In total we provided essential veterinary treatment, deworming and dipping to 121 working donkeys. The clinic was attended by 38 owners from 11 villages who we educated about the needs of donkeys, and how to work with them correctly. We also modified and provided sets of harness to replace the horrible ox-yokes on 15 scotch carts.
While at Mutonga village an orphaned foal called Otis was brought to us by his owner who said that his mother died 3 months ago after being attacked with an axe. Poor Otis is very weak, severely malnourished and underweight. Added to that he has deformed back legs and his coat was completely matted with hundreds of burrs that took our guys hours to remove. He is now settling in at our rescue centre and we hope that with good food, warmth and a lot of love he will grow stronger and be able to live a comfortable life.
In addition to the clinic at Mutonga we continued to conduct inspections at Libuyu and Maramba markets, and received drop-ins at our farm in town, where we treated a further 46 donkeys, and provided another 8 sets of harnesses.
We are so grateful to Animal Aid Abroad (and their supporters) for partnering with us and enabling us to reach such a large number of donkeys desperately in need of help during these difficult times. On behalf of baby Otis and many others, THANK YOU!