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.

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.

Donkey misery once more (this time in Terai)

'Ke garne', What can we do? That was the reaction of brick killn owners in Nepalgunj when Pranaj Rai asked why so many working donkeys are wounded or sick.

Pranaj witnessed countless 'over work type of abuses', including nylon rope friction wounds, lacerations and malnutrition. His photographs are a testament to the terrible forms of neglect working donkeys face in Nepal.

The owners say they are poor and illiterate and that animal rights are a far cry…

We heard similar answers a few months ago when we visited a brick factory in Siddhipur, Lalitpur. Here, so close to the capital, children and donkeys toil to carry bricks to and from the killn. They do not receive medical care. None of the donkeys are happy or healthy.

Something must be done! Who will take the first step to change the miserable lives of kids and donkeys in exploitative brick killns?

Donkey Woes

The conditions of the working donkeys of Kathmandu Valley are as dark as those of the children who work there. It is believed 60,000 Nepalese children make a living by making bricks. No one knows how many donkeys are made to carry bricks all day, bearing loads above their capacity.

I reviewed a brick kiln in Siddhipur and was shocked, both with the conditions of human workers and the donkeys. Wounds go untreated, severy ill donkeys are left to die, and some even have their ears cut in childhood. No vet ever visits these places. All donkeys looked depressed.

The same week, a pair of donkeys was left to die at Kushunti, Patan. One survived and was called Asi, Hope. The Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre kindlyrescued the surviving donkey after local children informed them. Thank you KAT and thank you children!

KAT's founder Jan Salter says in an interview: “The brick factories destroy the surrounding vegetation so there is very little for the donkeys to eat. It appears that they are just forced to work until they drop. We need to educate the factory owners and workers in the care of these long suffering animals in the future. We hope that ‘Asi’ will become a symbol for the future wellbeing of all suffering working animals in Nepal.”

This silent suffering should be addressed. It's time for all of us to ACT!