Water Tank Brings Hope for Donkeys in Zimbabwe

During November, our partner group Tikobane Trust in Zimbabwe travelled from village to village, treating 89 donkeys and 17 dogs. Thanks to support from Animal Aid Abroad, they are continuing to educate owners on animal welfare and have reported positive changes in the communities they visit. In Magoli Village, the leader has passed a law that any working animals being mistreated will immediately be taken to the Tikobane Trust sanctuary, which Animal Aid Abroad helps fund. If owners wish to claim their animals again, they are required to attend a two-day training session on empathy and animal welfare. Tikobane Trust are hopeful other community leaders will follow this positive example.

Unfortunately, one of the challenges still faced by Tikobane Trust is donkey axing. Donkeys are often left outside at night and wander into vegetable gardens looking for greens. If a donkey in discovered in someone’s garden, the farmer takes to the hungry animal with an axe. Tikobane Trust are working to address this issue by reporting axings to police and village leaders, advising donkey owners to keep their animals enclosed at night and urging gardeners not to axe the donkeys but instead keep them and report them to the village leaders.

By liaising with communities, Tikobane Trust have discovered that most people who abuse and mistreat donkeys are those who have been employed to look after them or those who have borrowed them. They have realised that these non-donkey owners are being missed, since they don’t participate in the educational sessions held by Tikobane Trust. In future, the team are aiming to reach these additional people with education on animal welfare and empathy. Tikobane Trust are also hoping to expand their educational efforts into the realm of technology, including development of educational materials on animal welfare that can be distributed via WhatsApp. This platform can also be used to report sick or injured animals.

In another exciting development, Animal Aid Abroad have provided funding for Tikobane Trust to construct a mega water tank. This tank will assist both the community and animals around the Hwange district. Along with feed, having access to water means that more working animals can be assisted and rescued in future. As soon as the first gutter was installed, it rained, bringing smiles to the faces of everyone who assisted in building the mega water tank. Tikobane Trust are hopeful there will be more rain during the farming season and that the tank will fill quickly.

Animal Aid Abroad are planning to continue supporting Tikobane Trust’s crucial veterinary and educational programs in their local communities, which are improving the lives of working animals in the region.