Bridging Lanka - Mannar Donkey Welfare & Management Report - August 2021

Bridging Lanka have sent us a report on their August activity at the Mannar Donkey Welfare and Education Clinic:

Plastic Accessories

The town of Olaithoduwai has a few regular donkeys grazing around the garbage tip. This means at some point a donkey gets its foot stuck in a tin can or plastic container. Manas, a young boy from Puthukkudiyiruppu ventures to this area to collect firewood. He spots a donkey limping with a yellow plastic container stuck to its foot. He valiantly attempts to catch the donkey alone thinking he could set the donkey free. Instead, the donkey bolts into the forest further away from Manas’ reach. Manas then calls Kathafi, one of our Animal Welfare Officers. They finally locate the donkey further in the forest. They catch the donkey and Manas is able to take the container off the donkey’s leg. Fortunately, no other injuries had been sustained so the equine was set free to go about its exploits. 

Tin Can Mayhem

Another donkey with a tin can secured on its foot, this time spotted by Alhathir on his morning visit to the local shop at 6.30am.  Alhathir had to leave for another emergency but informed the staff who get there to find the donkey has taken off elsewhere.  After a short search, the donkey is spotted and while Uzmaan, one of the casual staff manages to catch the donkey, only to receive a good kick by the donkey before it takes off. Nevertheless the staff pursue and finally catch the donkey and remove the tin can.  Thankfully, no other injuries were noticed on the donkey and it was released to continue its meanderings.

Road Trauma and Fatalities

The village of Tharapuram is a haven for migratory Siberian ducks in their thousands! It’s also a popular place for a herd of 30 to 40 mules as the grass is lush in this area. While the pack was crossing the main road one day, a speeding vehicle hits one of the mules. Susanthroj, a local runs to the injured animal. Alhathir was contacted at 9.30 at night and rushes to the scene. With the aid of Susanthroj and others the mule is loaded into the truck. It was clear that the mule had sustained significant injury to legs and also had several other wounds. On reaching the DCEC, Alhathir phones Ainkaran and Uzmaan who fortunately live close by. Painkillers administered as the donkey is clearly in agony. The next day, our vet attempted to reset the fractured legs. The donkey was cared for by the staff for two days. However the donkey’s internal injuries were too severe and sadly it died the next day.

Double Rescue

While travelling, DCEC manager Alhathir witnessed an accident. Being the good Samaritan that he is, Alhathir stopped his motorbike to help the injured person who was laying on his side with injuries to his hands and legs. Next to him lay a street dog with two injured legs. Thankfully, the injuries for both man and dog were not life threatening. After making sure the man was looked after, our manager called our rescue staff for help. The street dog was afraid and when approached, it barked and tried to bite us. Our quick thinking staff had come with the vet. After a lot of effort, they brought the dog to our clinic. Our vet provided the dog with immediate treatment to calm it down. The stray dog was treated with Amoxicillin, Xylazine, Ketamine and Dexa-Rhinaspray. Once fully recovered, the dog was released.

New Sticker Saving Donkeys Lives

Our donkey rescue vehicle has been our ambulance service saving donkeys lives for the last two and a half years. Minutes and sometimes seconds make all the difference in our rescue operations, and with the strict pandemic lockdowns, our rescue times have been seriously affected with constant army and police checks. We realised that our old sticker showing that we are a service provider was worn and weathered and could not be seen from a distance. We have now placed a new, bright sticker at the front of our vehicle sporting a prominent blue cross. The new stickers give the truck the official look it deserves. It worked! We have not been stopped once, helping us get to our donkeys in record time!