South Africa’s working horses and donkeys are used for tasks ranging from farming to transport, and there are many communities where people are dependent on their working animals to earn a small income. We’re making a considerable difference to the lives of working animals in South Africa’s low-income communities by ensuring animals have access to vital veterinary treatment and educating the next generation of owners about animal care.
South Africa at a glance
- Population: 59.4 million
- Area: 1,221,037 square km
- Location: Southern Africa
- Capital city: Pretoria
- Estimated number of working animals: 492,940
- Number of mobile veterinary clinics: Two
- Number of working animals treated in 2022: 1,763
- Number of animal owners trained in 2022: 1,558
- Number of veterinary professionals trained in 2022: 48
- Number of children receiving humane education in 2022: 331
Our work in South Africa
We run a mobile clinic that visit townships around South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg, to help working animals in need of vital veterinary care. The mobile clinic provides emergency veterinary treatments, farriery and harness repair. We also provide community training to teach the owners of working animals basic farriery skills and hoof care.
As well as helping working animals and training their owners, we also teach children animal welfare education. In the rural communities of KwaZulu Natal, outside Durban, horses are widely used by young people for transport and to support work. Children between the ages of 12 and 16 learn to improve their animal husbandry skills at two special five-day educational holiday camps. Trainers at the camps teach children about the care, behaviour and management of horses using fun and creative methods, promoting knowledge and skills while boosting self-esteem and confidence.
