The weekly update from Safe Haven for Donkeys in Gaza: 3 new vets from Gaza City provide free care for working animals whose owners can't afford a vet

 

Dear Erna A few weeks ago, I shared the news that Dr Saif had sadly left Gaza. Today, I’m very pleased to introduce you to Dr Ahmed Thabet and the vet team who are continuing our work to help Gaza’s donkeys. Dr Ahmed is joined by two other vets and a veterinary assistant. Together, they strengthen our veterinary capacity in Gaza, allowing us to build on the vital first aid provided by Dr Saif and his team and, where equipment and supplies are available, provide a wider range of more complex treatments. I know many of you care deeply about the animals caught up in this terrible conflict, so I wanted Dr Ahmed to tell you, in his own words, a little about his team, the challenges they face and the animals they are already helping. Thank you, as always, for caring. Wendy Safe Haven UK Office An update from Dr Ahmed in Gaza My name is Dr Ahmed Thabet and I work out of a vet clinic in Gaza City. Our team includes three vets - myself, Dr Muath Al-Sir and Dr Mohammed Basal - alongside our veterinary assistant, Ahmed Althawabteh. We are Safe Haven’s new team providing vet care for working animals whose owners cannot afford or access treatment in Gaza. Before the war, there were approximately 5,000 donkeys, horses and other equids in Gaza, around two-thirds of them donkeys. Today, we believe around half of these animals have been lost. Dr Ahmed - pictured above - heads up our new team of three vets and a vet assistant, strengthening our work in Gaza. Veterinary medicines and essential supplies are also extremely difficult to obtain, so every day we have to make the best decisions we can with the limited resources available to us. Recently, we treated a jenny (a female donkey) who had been attacked by a dog. With no rabies vaccinations available, we cleaned her wounds as thoroughly as possible, stitched them and are now monitoring her closely.  This female donkey had been attacked by a dog. With veterinary supplies extremely limited, the team is doing everything it can with the resources available. We also treated a severely malnourished donkey with multiple wounds and painful sharp points on his teeth that were making it difficult for him to eat.  Our new team has the veterinary expertise to carry out more complex procedures, including dental treatment. But much of the specialist equipment we would normally use has been lost or damaged during the war and cannot currently be replaced. This male donkey was suffering from multiple wounds and severe malnutrition. Painful sharp points on his teeth were also making it difficult for him to eat. Using the tools available, we were able to carefully file his teeth to provide some relief, as well as clean and treat his wounds. As soon as access allows, we hope to replace essential equipment such as our mechanical dental rasp, enabling us to provide a wider range of treatments for donkeys like him. As Safe Haven’s new team, we will continue doing everything we can to relieve suffering and provide these remarkable animals. Thank you for caring for Gaza’s working animals and I’ll look forward to sending you updates in the coming months.  Just two days after our team provided treatment, this severe back wound was already beginning to heal. The team will continue to monitor the donkey’s recovery. Thank You  Working animals have become even more important to people in Gaza since the war, with donkeys and horses increasingly relied upon for transport and daily livelihoods. This places enormous strain on animals that are already living in extremely difficult conditions. Thank you for supporting us to provide veterinary care to donkeys and other working animals in desperate need. Your support means we can continue to treat injuries, relieve suffering and give these animals the care they deserve. Help our vet teams today Above - Our new Vet Assistant Ahmed stitches the dog bite wound. This is just one example of the wider range of veterinary treatment our new team - headed up by lead vet Dr Ahmed - can now provide in Gaza, thanks to your support. 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. Registered charity number 1083468

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Bless you and thank you to the brave vets walking through the rubble and dust in despair, people are starving, a piece of bread half for a child, half for the donkey

 https://www.facebook.com/SulalaSociety  Sulala Animal Rescue in Gaza. Helping a few cats and dogs that are still alive

https://www.safehaven4donkeys.org/  

Dear Friends I wanted to share the latest update we’ve received from Dr Saif, whose team continues their extraordinary work with donkeys and horses in Gaza, despite unimaginable conditions. His words speak for themselves. The situation is dire, but his determination is deeply moving. I hope you’ll take a moment to read his update below. Even now, the team is treating wounded animals and - at times - risking their lives to bring first aid to donkeys and horses. These animals are vital to their communities, helping to transport food, water, and even the injured to hospital. Tomorrow, we’ll be launching an urgent appeal to support this work. As one of our valued supporters, you're among the first to hear about it. You may receive a letter through the post, or email on Monday, but if you’d like to help right away, you can do so here: Give now to support Dr Saif’s team in Gaza. And if donating isn’t possible right now, you can still make a huge difference by sharing our appeal with friends and family - we’ll be posting updates on our Facebook page over the coming weeks. With kindest regards, Wendy, Safe Haven UK Office PS. There is still time to complete our survey to tell us what you think of the weekly e-news update, along with anything else you'd like to tell us about your support to Safe Haven. If you'd like to complete it now - please follow this link.   News from Gaza Thursday 24th July Securing veterinary supplies here in Gaza is nearly impossible. We had hidden essential medicines beneath the broken concrete of our old clinic, hoping they’d survive. Mohammed - my brother and a vital member of our team - had retrieved some already. But yesterday - despite everything - he went back for the rest. He returned covered in ash, riding his old bicycle with a bag of lifesaving medicines strapped to the back. I stood frozen with relief that he had made it back. His journey was full of risk, but he told me he had to do it - to help all the animals who need us. Mohammed exhausted from fetching vital medications hidden in the rubble of the team's clinic. He also received terrible news - this brother-in-law was killed while going to fetch food for his family from an aid point. Now those hidden supplies are all used up, from this point on, we will need to buy even more medicine locally. But prices are many times higher than normal, and every dose of medicine will cost us far more than it should.  Mohammed and the team continue - despite everything - to treat hundreds of animals in need. Many ask, “If people are starving, what happens to the animals?” The donkeys, our most loyal of companions, are starving too. Yet they survive because we share what little we have. We would tear our last loaf in half - one piece for our children, one for the donkey. It’s not just survival. It’s love. A bond forged in dust and despair. Even in the hardest times we remember them - because they never stop helping us by carrying our food, our water, even our people to hospital. Donkeys and horses are vital to life in Gaza - they are a lifeline for their owners and communities. This last week - despite the conditions here in Gaza - we managed to complete 18 field visits, walking through rubble and broken streets to reach wounded animals, mainly donkeys. In total 156 animals received first aid. This is all thanks to our supporters - you are vital to our work, helping us to continue.  Yours, Dr Saif. The team have carried out 18 field visits during the last week - helping 156 animals. Our work in Gaza continues because it must - we are the only mobile team helping donkeys and horses. And on Monday, we’ll be sending you an urgent appeal to help us raise money to restock our vital medicines. Please look out for it - or if you’d like to help now please click here. Your support means the world to our Gaza team - thank you so much. 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. Donate To Our Gaza Appeal Your support will help fund our mobile team in Gaza and buy vital medications to help donkeys and horses in need. Thank you. 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.

Royal Patron: Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra the Hon Lady Ogilvy KG GCVO  Patrons: The Rt Hon the Earl of Stockton, The Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe DSG, Desmond Lynam OBE, Peter Egan, Kay Burley, Jan Leeming, and Anthony Head Copyright © 2025 Safe Haven for Donkeys, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Safe Haven for Donkeys Our mailing address is: Safe Haven for Donkeys Unit 23 More House Farm Business Centre Wivelsfield Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 7RE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

7 photos showing the care given to working horses, donkeys and mules across the Westbank regardless of an enormous shortage of everything for veterinary care

 

Dear Friend I wanted to begin by reassuring you that all of our rescue donkeys at the sanctuary in Israel, and at our rescue centre and hospital in the West Bank, are safe and well - despite the recent, distressing reports of wildfires in the region. We’re keeping a close eye on the situation and will take action if needed. For now, our vital work continues as normal - and today, I’m pleased to share an update from our dedicated vet teams in the West Bank. I also want to say a heartfelt thank you for your incredible support of our Easter Appeal. Your generosity is helping us equip vet teams across all our programmes - in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza and Egypt - with the tools they need to treat donkeys, mules and horses in urgent need. Thanks to you, countless working animals will get the expert veterinary care they deserve. We’re so grateful to have you with us. With kindest regards, Wendy, Safe Haven UK Office PS. There's still time to donate to our appeal.     News from the West Bank Our teams have been busy over the past few weeks, caring for donkeys, mules and horses right across the West Bank. Builder donkeys are so hardworking and deserve to receive the best possible vet care. Dr Rakan and his team treat all sorts of working animals - including builder donkeys, who carry heavy loads up steps and through tight alleyways, just like the ones you can see above and below. Nour gives this hardworking builder donkey a much-needed hoof trim. We pay extra attention to their hooves - builder donkeys carry such heavy loads that any pain or injury can make their lives even harder. Regular hoof checks and treatment are a big part of keeping them comfortable. Builder donkeys are so hardworking and deserve to receive the best possible vet care. Sometimes our work in the West Bank takes real patience. Dr Rakan recently heard from an owner whose horse had escaped from his stable and become badly tangled in barbed wire. The poor horse was left with a painful injury. Because of ongoing road blocks in the region, it took a few days for Dr Rakan to reach him - but he didn’t give up. Our vet teams always persevere, no matter how tough things get. Your support means we can be there to help horses in desperate need - just like this horse with awful leg wounds to his front (shown above) and back legs. Dr Rakan explained to the owner that the horse’s wounds were deep and would take time to heal – but he made sure he had everything he needed, including all the right medication to continue the horse's treatment.  And of course, Dr Rakan will be back soon to check on the horse and provide any extra treatment that may be needed. Dr Rakan treated the leg wounds to make sure the horse was comfortable and able to recover. It’s thanks to your support that Dr Rakan and his team can be there for animals like this – no matter how challenging it is to reach them. Your kindness helps give working horses, donkeys and mules the care they need, and the chance of a healthier, more comfortable life. Thank you for making this work possible. 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. If you’ve already donated to our Easter Equip a Vet Appeal thank you so much – but there's still time to donate to help fund vital medications and equipment like bandages, antibiotics and pain relief, so our teams can treat animals in urgent need. Help Us Equip a Vet 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.

Royal Patron: Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra the Hon Lady Ogilvy KG GCVO  Patrons: The Rt Hon the Earl of Stockton, The Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe DSG, Desmond Lynam OBE, Peter Egan, Kay Burley, Jan Leeming, and Anthony Head Copyright © 2025 Safe Haven for Donkeys, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Safe Haven for Donkeys Our mailing address is: Safe Haven for Donkeys Unit 23 More House Farm Business Centre Wivelsfield Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 7RE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive t