Knit Hattie the horse and help working animals like Bulo.
Bulo the 16-year-old carthorse works to transport goods in Ethiopia for his owner Gawshaw.
Gawshaw makes the equivalent of just £3 working his horse each day, money which allows him to provide for his family. So when Bulo became lame, Gawshaw was anxious to get him cured. He took Bulo to his local traditional healer, who used a practice called ‘firing’ in an attempt to cure him.
Firing is when hot irons are pressed into an animal’s skin, leaving terrible wounds that are also prone to infection. This misguided practice is still common in many countries in Africa.
When Bulo’s lameness only worsened, Gawshaw found out about SPANA’s mobile clinic and took him there. Our vets were able to clean and treat the burn wounds and give Bulo painkillers, antibiotics and an anti-tetanus vaccination.
SPANA staff explained to Gawshaw why firing would have only caused Bulo painful wounds and distress, and on understanding this, Gawshaw was very remorseful and promised that he would never use firing on any animal again.
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