This International Working Animal Day (15 June 2025), we’re highlighting the devastating impact the global water crisis is having on working animals like Alnair, a donkey from Mauritania.
Across the world, the lives of millions of working animals are at risk due to a growing water crisis. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as droughts, resulting in increased water scarcity. At the same time, lack of infrastructure, pollution and poverty are leaving communities with limited access to clean drinking water.
Working animals are often the unsung heroes in these communities – helping people transport much-needed water from wells and standpipes to their homes.
One such working animal is Alnair, who transports water to households across Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania. Many areas of Nouakchott don’t have a piped water supply, so hundreds of donkeys like Alnair are used to transport water from standpipes around the city to people’s homes. Donkeys typically pull carts carrying two drums of water, weighing around 400 kg and travel long distances across difficult, sandy terrain.
This challenging and essential work not only allows people to access water, but also helps Alnair’s owner, Moubarek, to support his family.
Moubarek brought Alnair to a SPANA mobile clinic that was visiting the Dar Naïm area of Nouakchott because Alnair was constantly itching and scratching himself. Our vets examined Alnair carefully. They diagnosed mange, an extremely irritating and itchy skin disease caused by mites which is highly contagious to both animals and people. The vets could see that the disease had started around Alnair’s ears and had spread to other areas of the donkey’s body.
The vets set to work cleaning the areas of Alnair’s skin that had become sore and where open wounds had developed. They applied an antiseptic cream to the worst-affected areas, then administered an anti-parasitic to treat the mites. Because mange is contagious, the vets advised Moubarek to keep his donkey away from other animals and to take extreme care when handling him. They also instructed Moubarek to clean Alnair’s shelter thoroughly, showed him how to clean the open sores and asked he bring him back to the mobile clinic in 15 days’ time for a check-up and further treatment.
Moubarek said: ‘I’ve known SPANA for a long time and I’m always grateful for the care and treatment they provide to my animals. They treat them with compassion, helping them recover from their illnesses. I often rely on their services, and I know that my animals are in good hands when they come to us here.’
Working animals like Alnair play an invaluable role in transporting fresh water to homes worldwide, yet during crises, they’re often the last to receive essential resources like water.
Access to clean, uncontaminated water is essential for the health and welfare of working animals everywhere. This is never more true than during emergencies, such as droughts or floods. In times of crisis, our kind supporters enable our teams to provide on the ground support, emergency feed and lifesaving veterinary care.
Right now, working animals are suffering due to severe drought. They’re thirsty, exhausted, and in urgent need of help. Please donate to our water crisis appeal today and provide lifesaving relief.
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