Zambezi Working Donkey Project Report - November 2022 - January 2023
During November 2022 the Zambezi Working Donkey Project team treated 115 donkeys through mobile clinics, in addition to our 16 permanent residents at Maramba Farm. Treatments included dipping, de-worming and wound care.
It was difficult to go too far into the field at the time due to very heavy rains which caused flooding and made many rural roads impassable. However the team continued to do what they can in villages closer to town…
Over the Christmas and New Year period, in the course of undertaking field work we ended up confiscating 9 donkeys suffering from very bad injuries, which were caused by neglect and abuse:
- Jack and Kazundela – we were attending a community meeting in Mutonga village and found these two poor donkeys along the way. They were pulling a heavy cart and covered in wounds – Jack had a deep gash in his backside, which looked like he had been stabbed with a knife. He also had a big hole in the side of his face which had gone septic. Kazundela was covered in deep wounds which were consistent with wearing ill fitting harness and being beaten.
- Pana and Jennifer – confiscated during an educational outreach in Sakunita, both very thin with bad wounds on their necks from using an ox-yoke.
- Jungle, Sepa and Bambeni (foal) – their owners brought them to Maramba farm to ask for harnesses, but unfortunately we could not let them leave as Sepa’s foal Bambeni was far too young to be making such a long journey, tied to her mothers side. Initially the owner refused to leave them or sign a consent to release so we had to ask the poice to intervene yet again.
- Mary – found at Libuyu market with very severe neck wounds from the ox-yoke.
- Jackson - this poor, poor donkey was brought to our attention 5 months ago when our Project Supervisor Emmanuel found him in a village with horrific burns across his back – likely caused by someone throwing burning oil or some other chemical at him. For months we have been treating him in the village and pleading with the owner to bring him for proper treatment, but they are resistant and in fact kept working him even with the open burns still festering. In the end we requested a summons from the police to bring him and the owner to the sanctuary.
For these cases we were fortunate to be supported by the local police who have begun to take an active interest in our work. The owners of the donkeys mentioned below have all received official warnings from the police – all of the donkeys except 1 were returned once they were recovered (because they are officially ‘first time’ offenders) which is always very difficult for us to come to terms with. However, it does mean that the owners now have a record and if they are caught again the punishment will be very severe. We have to hope that this will serve as an incentive for improved behaviour. Our staff have also spent time training the owners prior to releasing the donkeys, so that they know the correct way to treat and work with their donkeys going forwards.
The donkey which was not returned, ‘Jackson’, has been permanently released into our care after long negotiations with the owner – he has suffered enough, and it is unlikely that his back will ever regain the strength needed to work.
It is thanks to the supporters of AAA that we were able to help these donkeys and we will continue fighting their cause wherever we can!
