Blind Love Working Donkeys Aug Update - Bringing Compassion to a New Donkey Community

After meeting with the owners during Blind Love’s July outreach in Jozi, a new area, the team was excited when the owners suggested another community in desperate need of support. This area is known as Rhini, Extension 8.

Once again, the Blind Love team enlisted the help of SPCA Officer Maloli to spread the word to the owners, and one of the owners, Michael, was particularly helpful in doing so.

The outreach took place on Saturday, 24th August and an amazing 61 donkeys attended! The day was hot, dry and windy.

While Inspector Maloli spoke with the owners about the welfare of their donkeys, the Blind Love team got busy recording the details of both donkeys and owners, and began checking and treating the animals. All donkeys were treated for internal and external parasites (worms, ticks, and flies) and minor injuries were cleaned.

Fortunately, there was only one serious harness-related wound on the shoulders of a donkey.

Harnesses and tack were inspected, padding was distributed and six more humane harnesses were provided.

The Blind Love team noted three sick-looking donkeys. One had a severe case of mange, another had abscesses on its face, and the third was very thin, listless, and losing hair. Dr Annie attended to them on Tuesday, 27th August.

On that Tuesday, Dr Annie thoroughly cleaned the donkey with the severe facial abscesses and provided a course of long-acting antibiotics. Upon examining the thin donkey, she discovered that the back of his tongue was dead and blackened. Although she was uncertain, she suspected plastic ingestion. Dr Annie remained hopeful and demonstrated to the owner how to make a soupy mixture with pellets to feed him and the little donkey seemed to enjoy it.

The third donkey, suffering from mange, did not attend the outreach, so Blind Love will be treating them on Monday, 9th September, during a follow-up visit.

Sadly, on Thursday, 29th August, when Blind Love’s Director Philippa went to check on the thin donkey with the blackened tongue, he had passed away that morning, just 20 minutes before her arrival. Dr Annie believes the donkey had been sick for too long before treatment began. The owner of this donkey also had two puppies whose mother had been poisoned, so Blind Love provided puppy food and the puppies were dewormed.

The Blind Love team is thrilled with the turnout and the enthusiasm among the owners. Word is definitely spreading! The next outreach is scheduled for 21st September.

Although an additional plea was made for emergency veterinary fees to treat the three sick donkeys, the team would like to say a BIG THANK YOU for the support of these outreaches, which enable Blind Love to improve the lives of working donkeys.