Thank you, as always, for supporting our teams and the animals they care for every single day. Your support means that help is there when it’s needed most – often in the most challenging conditions.
Next week, we’re looking forward to sharing news of an innovative new approach our Egypt brick kiln teams are hoping to introduce – enabling trained stockmen and handlers to provide first aid for simple wounds and minor treatments. It’s a simple idea, but one that could make a big difference, helping us extend our work to other kilns in desperate need.
But today, we’d love to share a powerful story from Dr Shaaban – one that shows exactly what your kindness makes possible.
Update from the brick kilns of Egypt
In the brick kilns, injured donkeys receive treatment and care. But before you helped us launch our mobile vet teams there, the story was often very different.
Donkeys that became badly injured were sometimes sold to traders and, heartbreakingly, could end up as feed for lions in zoos. This would have been the fate of an 11-year-old donkey known among handlers as “the donkey with the red eye.” But don’t worry – our team were there to help.
Despite his nickname, this albino donkey is highly valued – strong, fast and calm, and one of the most reliable working donkeys in the kiln.
This donkey known as “red eye” had a hind limb lameness and a large wound from a donkey bite on his foreleg
But everything changed in an instant.
After a serious cart accident, the donkey fell and was initially unable to stand. He was suffering from severe hind limb lameness and a large swelling around his hip. As if that wasn’t enough, he had also been in a fight with another donkey, leaving him with a deep, lacerated wound on his foreleg.
Without urgent care his future would have been uncertain. But our team stepped in immediately.
Dr Shaaban removes damaged tissue from the wound.
The wound was carefully cleaned, and dead tissue removed to allow healing to begin. Antibiotic ointment was applied, and the leg was re-bandaged regularly. As new, healthy tissue developed, the treatment was simplified to cleaning with saline and applying zinc ointment.
He also received antibiotics to control infection, anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and swelling, tetanus protection, and intravenous fluids to support his recovery. A specialist treatment was used to reduce swelling and soft tissue damage.
After treatment the donkey was soon feeling more comfortable and was back on his feet.
Thanks to careful treatment and ongoing follow-up, this much-loved donkey made a full recovery.Today, he is back on his feet. His story could have ended very differently. But because of you, it didn’t.
Thank you ♥️♥️
Your support helps us fund our mobile vet teams in Gaza, the West Bank, and Egypt, bringing vital veterinary treatment directly to working donkeys in desperate need. You are also helping to care for rescue donkeys at our sanctuaries in Israel and the West Bank, where they receive nutritious food, specialist care, and the safety of a forever home.
Thank you for caring for these gentle animals.
The donkey made an amazing recovery – here you can see a close-up of the wound – it’s fully healed, with only a small scar remaining. All thanks to your support.
Thanks to you we are able to equip our vet teams with vital equipment – such as this ultrasound machine. Thank you.