Sory was suffering from wounds caused by a homemade harness. Find out how SPANA vets eased his discomfort.
Sory is a nine-year-old donkey from Kabe, a village south of Mali’s capital city, Bamako. He helps his owner, Soumaila, earn a small living by transporting firewood from a nearby forest and performing agricultural tasks.
Sory was suffering from several small, painful wounds that would not heal, so Soumaila took him to a SPANA mobile veterinary clinic that was visiting Kabe.
At the clinic, our vets examined Sory’s wounds, which had been caused by his homemade harness rubbing against the donkey’s delicate skin. The continued pressure and friction – made worse by the heavy loads – were preventing his painful wounds from healing.
Our vets administered pain relief to Sory, then set about treating his wounds. They cleaned each one thoroughly with an antiseptic solution. The vets explained to Soumaila how to keep Sory’s wounds clean and dry and how to care for him while they healed. Crucially, the vets gave Soumaila guidance on how to make Sory’s harnessing more comfortable – such as adding soft padding made from local material – to prevent harness wounds in future.
Soumaila said: ‘Everyone here knows SPANA thanks to their regular presence in our village. SPANA treats our animals well and for free. Thank you for your help.’
Thanks to your continued support, SPANA vets across the world can help working animals like Sory who are suffering from wounds caused by inappropriate harnessing. In addition to providing vital veterinary care for working animals in need, we offer training to their owners on the prevention of harness injuries. Thank you so much for helping to transform the welfare of working animals.
