As the situation in the Middle East continues to unfold, we’re acutely aware of the challenges it brings – not only to the safety of our dedicated teams but also to the thousands of donkeys, mules and horses they work so tirelessly to help.
This week, we’re sharing an update from our teams on the ground. Despite the incredibly difficult circumstances, their work continues – and we know you’ll agree it deserves recognition.
We hope you’ll join us in applauding our heroes in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and Egypt, whose compassion and courage are making a real difference to the lives of so many animals, every day.
Thank you, as always, for your support. It means the world – to us, and to the animals who need us most.
Dr Saif has asked me to send a note to all our supporters who took the time to send a message last week. He has said: “We are deeply grateful to all the kind-hearted donors who support us in Gaza. We stand together, as always“.
An update from all our teams in the Middle East
Thanks to your support, our teams continue to do all they can to help donkeys, mules and horses across the region – often in incredibly difficult and dangerous conditions. Here’s the latest from the field:
A beautiful foal in a village near Ramallah, visited by Dr Rakan and Nour.
The West Bank
We’re relieved to report that all staff and animals at our Nablus hospital and Arrana rescue centre are currently safe and well. There are enough food supplies to last the donkeys several months. Our mobile veterinary clinics are still running, though only on an ad hoc basis due to an increased number of checkpoints and Palestinian cities being closed. The West Bank are also experiencing severe fuel shortages, so we’re now considering stockpiling fuel to help ensure our vital mobile vet clinics can continue.
Our three teams in the West Bank are determined to continue providing as many mobile vet clinics as possible despite checkpoints and closures.
Israel
The donkeys and team at our sanctuary in Israel are also safe, with the nearest missile strikes around 50 miles away. The sanctuary is operating with a skeleton staff, and by law, no one is currently allowed to stay overnight because there’s no accessible bomb shelter. Staff can use a nearby shelter during the day, but we’re also exploring the option of installing our own shelter if the situation escalates.
Moussa and the rest of the team continue to provide the best possible care to the donkeys at our sanctuary.
Gaza
The situation in Gaza is truly dire. Supplies are not currently getting in, with our latest shipment of medicines and food waiting in a warehouse in Rafah. Dr Saif – who is now able to send regular updates once again – reports that both people and animals are facing extreme hunger. Despite the danger, he and the team are continuing to do what they can, sourcing medications locally at high cost. We’re staying in close contact to monitor the situation.
Out Gaza team are now able to send us updates and photos as they continue their work in incredibly dangerous situations.
El Saf Brick Kilns, Egypt
We’re pleased to say there is real progress to celebrate in El Saf. More and more brick kilns are moving from “red” to “green” status, meaning they now meet the welfare standards we’ve worked so hard to establish.
This will allow our team to focus on new kilns and areas of need, while still monitoring the existing kilns to make sure standards are maintained. The team is also continuing to train veterinary students and produce valuable training materials.
The conditions in the kilns are hot, dry and dusty. Here, one of the donkey handlers tries to reduce the level of dust by dampening the ground.
“Alternatives to Donkeys” Project, Egypt
Thanks to a generous supporter, we’ve now purchased a tractor that will support our pilot project offering alternatives to donkey labour in the brick kilns in Egypt. The first kiln we approached was hesitant, worried about job losses for the donkey handlers, so we’re switching to another site where the team is keen to try it.
If the trial proves successful, we hope other kilns will follow, and we will of course keep you posted on progress. We’re also linking up with a similar project in India to share learnings and boost our chances of success.
We always strive to find a better future for donkeys – over in the West Bank, these two children are delighted with their toy donkeys, part of Dr Rakan’s work to inspire future donkey owners.
Thank you ♥️♥️
Everything our vet teams do to support working donkeys, mules, and horses is only possible because of you. Your generosity helps us protect animals and support their owners across the West Bank, Gaza, and Egypt – as well as care for rescued donkeys at our sanctuary in Israel and our rescue centre and hospital in the West Bank.
Thank you for making this vital work possible.
Despite everything, our sanctuary donkeys continue to live their best lives. Here they are enjoying some cooling cucumber treats.