Zambezi Working Donkey Project Report - December 2021

Partner group, Zambezi Working Donkey Project has sent us an update on their December 2021 activity:

This month our Director Hesther travelled to Europe to make a long overdue visit to see family. However, the team carried on in her absence attending to our rescue herd, with daily drop-ins at the Maramba Farm workshop, as well as several Mobile Clinic days in the villages and markets in Livingstone.

The rains have now arrived in Zambia so it is becoming more difficult to travel to the more rural areas. As such during the rainy season we focus our efforts on the markets, where donkeys tow their loads of fresh produce and firwood, charcoal etc. and we continue our education program in addition to treating wounds and dip for ticks – very important as this is a bad time of year for ticks and associated diseases.

At the end of November we had collected a donkey called Junior. His owner, from Simonga village, was very worried and asked us to help his donkey, who was in pain with blood pouring out of his nose, along with water and food that hadn’t been swallowed. Dehydration and starvation were inevitable without immediate treatment, so he was collected in the trailer and brought to the rescue centre at Maramba Farm. Initially we thought there was a blockage causing him to choke, but it was later discovered that he had a huge abscess on his neck, most likely from being kicked by another donkey. Once the abscess had been drained, it eased the pressure, and he soon began to start taking in water and food again. Junior will stay at the farm until he regains the weight he lost and will then be returned to his very relieved owner.

Thank you so much to the donors of Animal Aid Abroad – your support is making a big impact on the lives of working donkeys here in Zambia.