With the world in crisis, can you help working animals face their biggest challenge yet?
In 1923, mother and daughter Kate and Nina Hosali vowed to make a difference to the lives of working animals across the world, with the foundation of SPANA.
A century on, Kate and Nina’s pioneering spirit and unwavering passion to support working animal welfare continues to be at the heart of everything we do.
But as we mark our 100th anniversary, life for working animals is more perilous than ever. A generation of working animals risk death from the devastating effects of global poverty and climate change.
With your kind support, we will:
- Reach even more working animals who urgently need help.
- Establish access to reliable and nutritious feed.
- Work with communities to provide greater understanding about the health and welfare needs of their animals.
- Ensure that animals like Abou have access to lifesaving medicines when and where they need them.
- Respond to emergencies like the recent earthquake in Morocco.
- Help communities plan for the future so that more vulnerable animals survive, and ultimately have a chance to thrive.
- Strive to alleviate the pressures of poverty and climate change and the harrowing impact this is having on working animals.
Together, we can transform the welfare of the next generation of working animals. Will you please help with a kind donation today? Thank you so much.
How SPANA helped Abou, a malnourished and overworked carthorse
Abou, a 15-year-old carthorse, works 16-hour days 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.
Concerned about his horse’s worsening condition, Omar took Abou to our SPANA centre in Boghé for advice.
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.
Thank you
Your generous donations will be used for projects such as those featured in this appeal and where they are required the most to help animals in need. We would be so grateful for whatever you can give to this vital centenary appeal. Thank you.
To speak to our friendly supporter care team please visit our contact us page and get in touch.