The roads in Gaza are so badly damaged that it took 4 hours voor medical teams to reach wounded donkeys only 35 kilometers away

 

Dear Friend We received good news this week - our shipment of veterinary meds that has been waiting so long to get through to Gaza has finally arrived. We are very hopeful that a follow-up shipment of food will also arrive soon and promise to bring you news and photos of the arrival as soon as we can. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading a story that Dr Saif has shared with us about helping a donkey in need and the difference it made to the donkey's elderly owner. Thank you so much for caring and supporting our work. Wendy, Safe Haven UK Office     News from Gaza Most recently, our team have experienced a significant increase in calls from individuals urgently seeking veterinary assistance for their animals in central and north Gaza.   These regions, having been inaccessible until recently, and despite only being 35 km from Khan Yunis, is a challenging journey of at least 4 hours, navigating the Netzarim Corridor - an devastated area with extremely poor road conditions. Despite this our Gaza team have been doing their utmost to respond, to reach and treat as many animals as possible. Our team are travelling further distances to provide much-needed treatment to donkeys and horses Just the other day, our brave team achieved something extraordinary. They received an urgent call from an elderly man in Khuza’a - a town just a few hundred meters from the border with Israel. He told our team “while I was returning from my destroyed home in Khuza’a to seek shelter in Beni Suhaila, my donkey was hit by a bullet. Now, it can’t walk.” He paused, then added, “my only hope is that Safe Haven’s team will come and help my donkey.” Our team headed out to help a donkey that had been shot by a stray bullet When the team arrived the scene was heartbreaking. The donkey lay helpless and in pain, his leg was broken. The donkey is this elderly man’s only means of survival and his companion - so the team tried their best to help, immediately springing into action, cleaning his wounds and setting his broken bone in plaster. The team helped the donkey by setting his leg in plaster Dr Saif told us: "When the team had completed the donkey's treatment, his elderly owner couldn’t stop thanking us, his voice shaking with gratitude. For him, his donkey isn’t just an animal it’s his way of travelling and finding food. We hope his story finds its way into the hearts of many. We’re hopeful the donkey will recover, and we’ll continue to follow up until he's fully healed." The donkey's owner was so grateful to our team for helping his injured companion Thank You ♥️♥️ It's only with your help we are able to improve the lives of working donkeys, mules and horses in the West Bank, Gaza and Egypt. You're also helping to fund our hospital in Nablus in the West Bank and care for our rescue donkeys in Arrana, as well as our donkeys at our sanctuary in Israel. Donate Today Our team in Gaza is dedicated to improving the lives of animals in need - just like this beautiful horse. If you'd like to read previous updates of our work, please click here to visit out blog. You can also view today's update online by clicking here.

Video: Life in the Brick Kilns in Egypt and Gaza is very hard for donkeys: Your incredible support allows for more veterinary care so that thousands of donkeys have a better life

Thanks to your incredible support to our Christmas appeal in November we raised £33,878 to fund our Egypt program and launch a second mobile vet team.

We were overwhelmed by your support – and we’re pleased to say your money was immediately put to work.

You are helping us to widen our programme in the brick kilns – and beyond – and this week’s e-news includes an update from Dr Shaaban, showing how many more donkeys they are able to provide veterinary care to – all thanks to you.

Thank you again for your unwavering support to Safe Haven. It means the world to our vet teams, sanctuary staff, and of course the thousands of donkeys who are able to lead better lives.

News from Egypt

Dr Saif told us:

Thanks to your support, our Egypt program has greatly improved the welfare of working donkeys in brick kilns.

When our programme commenced Dr Shaaban assessed the brick kilns and categorised them as red, amber or green – with red kilns having poor welfare for the donkeys working there. In 2023, 14 kilns were green, 20 amber, and 86 red. By the end of 2024, only 31 kilns remained red, showing a dramatic improvement in welfare standards for donkeys.

This donkey is in a ‘green’ kiln but sustained a bite wound to his ear

Even when kiln conditions improve, donkeys still need ongoing care. One such donkey is this 11-year-old male who works in a ‘green’ kiln, or one with good welfare conditions.

However, he unfortunately sustained a bite on his ear during a fight with another donkey, which led to a severe infected wound. His owner noticed he started tilting his head and showing movement discoordination.

Following treatment by our team, within days the ear started healing

Our team conducted a full examination and suspected that the infection had spread internally within the ear. We immediately placed the donkey on a treatment plan including antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication.

The donkey has now made a full recovery due to our team’s care

After a prolonged period of care and treatment, along with daily wound dressings and surgical removal of necrotic (or dead) tissue, we’re pleased to say the donkey is fully recovered, and all neurological signs disappeared.

With a second mobile vet team, we have also been able to extend out work out into local villages, to help working donkeys in the community.

This X-ray of a village donkey’s stomach shows he has ingested sand

With your support our second mobile vet team is able to reach out to local communities to treat working donkeys outside of the brick kilns.

This donkey had recurrent colic and signs of dental disorders. After a full examination, including an X-ray, we found the donkey had sand in his stomach. We dewormed the donkey, performed dental rasping, and administered sand-fix powder along with anti-inflammatory medication for five days.

Dr Shaaban shows the donkey’s owner the X-ray and explains the treatment the team will provide

We hope this short update helps to show the impact your donations have had to our work in Egypt. It’s just a small part of the work being undertaken every day. Since Christmas the teams have also conducted farrier training and a dental campaign in the local villages, as well as their regular visits to kilns to treat working donkeys in need. All thanks to you.

Donkeys at the Egypt brick kilns are living better lives thanks to you

Thank you ♥️♥️

It’s only with your help we are able to improve the lives of working donkeys, mules and horses in the West Bank, Gaza and Egypt. You’re also helping to fund our hospital in Nablus in the West Bank and care for our rescue donkeys in Arrana, as well as our donkeys at our sanctuary in Israel.

Please Donate to help our work

Pssst. Our donkeys love treats – from carrots to watermelon and cucumber. Will you make a donkey’s Valentine and give £5 to fund some tasty treats for Nader and his friends?

https://www.safehaven4donkeys.org/product/gifts-that-bring-smiles-donkey-treats/