A world in crisis: Help transform the lives of working animals for generations to come

How SPANA helped Abou, a malnourished and overworked carthorse

Abou, a 15-year-old carthorse, works exceptionally long hours to help his owner, Omar, earn a meagre living in Boghé, Mauritania.

In the sub-Saharan country, limited access to veterinary care and medicines is worsened by the impact of global events on working animals.

Years of low rainfall mean the land is slowly turning into a desert and Omar has had to take on additional work to survive. By day, Abou labours in the fields and at night he transports heavy building materials.

Over time, the long hours of toil and lack of proper nutrition left Abou terribly thin. The poor horse developed a hacking cough and his frail, skinny shoulders heaved when he wheezed.

At the SPANA centre in Boghé, our trained vets examined Abou and found that he had a severe respiratory infection. His body was so malnourished, dehydrated and weak, he didn’t have the strength to fight it.

Without treatment, he risked developing pneumonia, which can be life threatening.

Our vets gave Abou antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat the infection, and vitamins to boost his immunity. They also advised Omar to wet Abou’s feed to make it easier to digest.

Without this simple and vital medication, Abou’s condition would have deteriorated, and he may not have survived.

In many places where we work, like Mauritania, vital medicines like anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and even basic painkillers simply aren’t widely available. But with your support, we can change this. By working with local vets and other organisations, we can help them buy veterinary medicines in bulk at an affordable cost, so there is always a reliable supply available.

Will you please donate today to ensure working animals like Abou always receive access to the food, medicine, care and support they need? Thank you.