Over 1000 signatures against donkey misery!

Animal Nepal together with the Animal Welfare Network Nepal (AWNN) on May 19, 2009 handed over a petition signed by over one thousand people from all over the world to stop donkey abuse to the Joint Secretary at the Ministry for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Dr Hari Dahal.

The petition titled 'Stop donkey misery in Nepal' was signed by 1036 people from countries like Nepal, India, US, UK, Italy, Australia, France, Germany, Norway, Mexico, Canada, South Africa, Netherlands, Belgium and others. The purpose of the signature campaign is to raise awareness to stop cruelty on working animals like donkeys. The petition demands concerned authorities and donkey owners to introduce a care system for these animals that suffer from malnutrition, open sores, lacerations, and general neglect.

AN/AWNN also urged the Joint Secretary to implement the Animal Transportation Act and wished to participate in drafting of the Animal Welfare Act. Mr Dahal was positive about these concerns and expressed commitment to take initiative on monitoring the execution of the Animal Transportation Act or the Pasu Dhuwani Mapdanda 2064.

AN Director Pramada Shah, after handing over the petition hoped that the ministry would cooperate in raising animal welfare issues and that the Animal Welfare Act would soon be finalised and send to the Parliament.

Miracle donkey

Miracles do happen. Otherwise, how to explain this story?

Flora was rescued from a brick kiln on a hot day in May. She was malnourished and her hips were covered in bruises from overloading. Flora's hoofs had grown so long, they actually pointed upwards. Flora found a perfect home at the Marston's, a British family that has lived in Nepal since the 60s. Here she shares a lovely garden with five rescued dogs and a flock of ducks, recovered from the butcher's. One of the first things Flora did was walk around the house, and roll on her back in the garden. She must have felt she had arrived in heaven.

A month after her arrival, Robin and Wendy noticed a swelling in Flora's lower stomach. They called the vet, who adviced a drug against fluid retention. A few hours later the vet arrived, felt around, and pulled out.....two feet! Three people rushed to help to pull out what everyone thought had to be a dead fetus. But as soon as the fowl fell on the ground it started moving. Ten minutes later it stood on its four legs. Puja was born.

Puja is a healthy and curious foal, a true heart breaker, who enjoys making friends with dogs, ducks and people. Her mum, Flora, is a caring and proud mum.

At Animal Nepal we feel greatly encouraged by stories such as these. This story shows the resilience of abused working animals, when given a new leash of life. It shows that with a dosis of TLC, nutritious food and supportive medicines, donkeys like Flora, after a life of neglect and abuse, make great pets. It shows that despite the many challenges we face we can make a difference in the lives of working donkeys, starting with Flora and Puja.

Putting a Smile on your Face

The thousands of children who live in work in brick kilns in Kathmandu District during the brick season (December-June) have little reason to smile. They come from the poorest districts of Nepal, or Bihar in India. Some come individually as bonded labourers whose parents have been provided with a small advance. They work as donkey handlers or brick carriers. Others come with their parents, labourers who try to pay off debts to the local middleman, and mold bricks out of clay.

While in Kathmandu the children don't go to school, live in makeshift shelters, and spend their days working in dangerous and unhealthy conditions.

Animal Nepal has allocated one model brick kiln in Bungamati where it will establish a daycare centre for children below 5, and admit children between 5-12 at a local school. If the project is successful it will be replicated in all the ten brick kilns where we work.

When a group of Dutch friends heard about this inititiative they quickly organised a donation drive. Within a week they raised no less than 830 euro! They also collected almost 50 (second hand) t-shirts for the brick kids.

Coordinator Judith de Vries personally handed over the money and t-shirts at the Bungamati Brick Kiln. She had some trouble identifying who were boys and who were girls but eventually all the children were dressed in a bright t-shirt. The parents expressed their appreciation. 'We really want our children to go to school but the older ones have to look after the babies, and we can't afford to buy uniforms and notebooks for them,' they said. Once a daycare facility has been established for the young kids the older ones will be released from work and admitted at school.

We want to thank all you generous donors out there!

Donkeys of different sorts

This week we officially launched our donkey clinics at the brick kilns in Lalitpur district. Dr Sudip Koirala, together with social workers Uma Limbu and Krishna Singh, coordinated a visit to Bungamati brick factory, which we will develop into a model brick kiln. Here over 500 workers live in makeshift sheds in an area as big as a large village. Most of them are Terai Dalits or come from other marginalised groups. They are the poorest of the poor: they don't own land, often don't have citizenship papers, are illiterate, and basically constitute the large chunk of forgotten people of Nepal.

Among them children, many children. There are babies who rummage through the unfired bricks. And there are children who look after their siblings and carry bricks as soon as they can walk. Our heart goes out to them. No chance to be educated, no opportunity to create a better life than that of their parents. Many are malnourished - the worst start a child can have in life.

Our heart also goes out to the working donkeys. At the Bungamati kiln there are 95 of them, plus a few dozen handlers, all kids from poor families in India or Terai. The handlers are far from home and work hard to bring home a few thousand rupees when they return home in May. One wonders who are worse off: the handlers or the donkeys, of whom 80% suffers from infections, injuries and/or malnutrition and dehydration. They are overloaded, beaten mercilessly and when injured left to fend for themselves.

Animal Nepal can no longer watch the suffering. Even though funding has not yet been secured we have launched an outreach programme for both brick kids and donkeys. Have a look at the documentary on www.animalnepal.org/adoptadonkey.html

All in all there are around 400 kids and 500 donkeys working their heart out in ten brick kilns in our district. We want the kids to be happy, healthy and educated. We want the donkeys to be healthy and well treated. Is this a dream that can't come true? I don't think so. Already, with the help of individual donations and the support of colleague organisations (SPCAN, KAT) and many volunteers we have provided basic health care to almost 500 donkeys. Some 50 children received a colourful t-shirt and will soon go to school. This week we have taken the next step to make our dream come true.

Your help us very much appreciated.