MARES Zimbabwe August Activity Report

Pleaase find following the MARES Zimbabwe August activity report:

In August the MARES team travelled to Dete to collect 2 donkeys that were hit by a vehicle.  Unfortunately, when we arrived one donkey had already died and after bringing the other donkey back to MARES and xraying him, we saw that his back was broken and we humanely euthanized him.  

The female donkey that we collected from Dete 3 months ago with a fractured back leg and slippered hoof, has recovered very well and like most of the female donkeys we collect, is pregnant.   

On Monday 19 - Wednesday 21 September, SOFA together with VAWS, will be holding another law seminar like we had in Bulawayo in Victoria Falls and all participants will be taken to the VAWS clinic in the afternoon where we will hold a visual donkey welfare workshop, together with our harnesses, etc, and all the relevant Chiefs and Headmen will be attending this outreach clinic.  

During the month we fitted a total of 60 harnesses, 20 at Mabale, 20 at Matetsi and 20 at Jembwe. as well as redoing 30 scotch carts.  On 1st August MARES went and collected from the rural areas, a donkey with a severely fractured front leg.  Unfortunately, it was 10 days before we could get a vet to xray the leg but until then we strapped it securely.  They also removed a very septic sarcoid on the donkey's neck.  The sarcoid has completely healed and we will be able to see if the fracture has healed when the vet from Harare brings his portable xray machine.

Dr. Muvona commented that there has been a vast improvement in the condition of the donkeys he saw since deworming them and we will schedule another deworming clinic again in October.

Greenline Africa, in charge of Jembwe, purchased 2 donkeys to be used communally by the donkey owners if their donkeys are ill or injured.  This came about when we removed 3 underaged donkeys from a donkey owner until they are 3 years old (2 of them will be 3 in 6 months time).  They have also earmarked an area where they will erect fencing and shelter for a rehabilitation sanctuary.  This area already has a water trough and solar water.