MARES in Zimbabwe - Outreach Program Report August
What a contrast August has been compared to June & July! Although Zimbabwe is still in Level 4 Lockdown, MARES managed to get authority from the police to travel.
Nyanyadzi
Traditionally August is the month for vaccinating and deworming. On 17th August the MARES Team, made up of Helen Barlow, Manager and Trustee, Dr. Moses Muvona, veterinarian, Nkosana Khumalo new spokesperson and Charles Ndhlovu, harness maker, went to Nyanyadzi where they vaccinated 180 donkeys with a further 42 donkeys with rabies and tetanus and dewormed them all. One donkey owner brought his very sick donkey presenting with a massive hernia. Dr. Muvona operated but warned that the chance of recovery of such a severe hernia was very slim. The donkey was taken through to Mutare SPCA for recovery but we were told that 24 hours later the donkey went into shock and so was humanely euthanized.
The MARES Team took this opportunity to educate the 30 donkey owners and their families on donkey welfare and most importantly, cart weights, harnesses and harness hitching. 30 harnesses were handed out to the donkey owners. These owners also had their 15 carts redone. The ZRP, Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Regional District Veterinarian also attended.
David finally received his motorbike and helmet, as well as his very smart uniform displaying the AAA Logo. From both David and Mares, we thank you for this generous donation. We know it will make David’s life so much easier to get from village to village
David has been very busy dealing with injured donkeys from ill- fitting harnesses, not from his area of Nyanyadzi but further out. Due to these severe injuries we will be sending our vet to this area known as Ward 20 on 7 September to attend to the wounds and David will do the education. We are strict that donkey owners will not receive any harnesses until the wounds on their donkeys have recovered completely which will be at the end of September.
On 19th and 20th August the MARES Team then went through to Darwendale where 12 of their donkeys who had found forever homes, were vaccinated and dewormed. All 5 of the stallions were castrated by Dr. Muvona and are doing well.
The MARES Team returned in time for the World Sterilization Day where Dr. Muvona sterilized 10 cats. A further 3 feral cats were sterilized on Monday 30th August 2021. He also managed to sterilize 4 new stallions at MARES.
DETE
On Tuesday 23rd August the MARES Team once again set off for Chief Bitus villages in Dete. They were welcomed by a large crowd, including children, waiting to have their 210 donkeys vaccinated. Dr. Muvona also attended to several donkeys with eye infections. 2 young boys brought their donkeys with bad harness wounds and harsh harnesses. Barry recognised immediately that this family had been issued with new padded harnesses. It was found that they had sold the harnesses and were trying to get more. This problem was dealt swiftly by the Chief, punishing the 2 boys and confiscating their injured donkeys until they have recovered. The father and community were invited to decide their punishment. We feel that by registering each cart with a little number plate will help to identify which carts and donkeys have been done by MARES and Animal Aid Abroad.
We are happy to inform you that the donkeys we had attended to in June with bad sarcoids had all recovered completely. It’s amazing what a bit of ingenuity and dental floss can do!
During the month of August Barry had replaced 13 of the heavy steel dusselbooms with lighter wooden ones. We realised that although most villages have solar power, it is not powerful enough for welding and drilling and we would propose that we get a generator to be able to do these jobs quickly.
Finally, the kind donation of a solar to pump water from our well at our sanctuary was installed and it has already been put to the test as we continue to encounter such severe power cuts. We are indebted to Cecille and David Gray, for their incredible donation.
