Ethiopia

The Donkey Sanctuary working in Ethiopia

In 1986 we commenced our work in Ethiopia at the Addis Ababa University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Debre Zeit and in 1994 our first mobile clinic was put into operation. Expansion has continued and we now have two mobile clinics working in a 100km radius of Debre Zeit providing free treatment to working donkeys and giving advice to their owners on donkey care. A third vehicle is used for the educational programme and emergency transport for donkeys. Our work is concentrated on those areas which show a large population of working donkeys and where the economy is poor. Ethiopian people live at subsistence level and the donkey is their only means of transporting their harvest from the fields and goods to market. The death of a donkey for the family is equivalent to the replacement of the family car here.

The average life span of the donkey in Ethiopia is only 9 years, as compared to 11 years in Egypt and 14 years in Kenya and Mexico. Therefore, any veterinary treatment and improvement in management practices extending the life of a donkey by two or three years must be of benefit to the economy of the family. By improving the life of the donkeys we also improve the lives of their impoverished owners.

A purpose built donkey clinic in the grounds of the Veterinary Faculty was opened in 1999 where more extensive treatment can be given for sick donkeys. Training courses for veterinarians and animal health assistants are attended by employees of Ethiopian and other project groups funded by the Donkey Sanctuary. Farriery courses have also been run attended by participants from all parts of the world. 2005 saw workshops for donkey owners commence.

We have also extended our activities to one of the very poorest areas of Ethiopia where the constant threat of famine is very real. In partnership with the Regional Bureaux of Agriculture, the provinces of Tigray and Amhara in the north are now receiving veterinary help and welfare advice. A mobile clinic is operating in each area in an effort to alleviate some of the suffering of animals and provide help to their owners.

Our aims for the future are to continue extending the educational programme through producing literature on donkey care and to consolidate our new projects in Tigray and Amhara. As with all Donkey Sanctuary overseas projects, children’s education on donkey welfare is a further priority area for development. A permanent clinic is to be built at Addis Ababa market and the feasibility of expansion into other areas of Ethiopia will be explored.

All of The Donkey Sanctuarys work overseas relies totally on donations from the general public, companies or charitable trusts. Just a small donation could be the difference between life and death for donkeys in Ethiopia.

If you feel you could help fund our work overseas by kindly making a donation, please click here.