Helping working animals in Guatemala

In Guatemala, working animals support the livelihoods of many communities by transporting goods and people and helping with agricultural work. SPANA is educating children across the country about the importance of working animals and how to care for them.

Guatemala at a glance

  • Population: 16.9 million 
  • Area: 108,889 square km 
  • Location: Central America 
  • Capital city: Guatemala City 
  • Estimated number of working animals: 181,814 
  • Number of children receiving humane education in 2022: 800 

Our work in Guatemala

Our education programme in Guatemala is designed to increase awareness of the importance of working equids in daily community life and to improve animal welfare. Children are taught about basic animal welfare and animal handling techniques through classroom-based lessons, stories, tailored worksheets and practical homework.

Other countries we work in

A working equine animal receives treatment at the SPANA centre in Ethiopia for harness wounds.

Help stop poor harnessing from hurting working animals

Working animals are suffering from the unbearable agony of preventable harness wounds.

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A white donkey stands near traditional huts in a remote village in Zimbabwe.

Mobile clinics: Help working animals who are far from medical care

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putting papis on the road to recovery

Putting Papis on the road to recovery

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Unsung Heroes of the Water Crisis: Reflecting on International Working Animal Day 2025 

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Jim Broadbent stands next to a brown foal in Morocco

Jim Broadbent op-ed

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two donkeys carrying water drums on a cart walk next to their owners in arid dry desert landscape

International Working Animal Day: UK public prioritise water for pets if hit by drought, new survey

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