Gifts in Action
The difference that a permanent water trough can make…
The Brooke’s work to help the local communities of Peshawar, Pakistan to establish a permanent water trough and provide training on the importance of allowing their animals to drink from it has benefited scores of working horses and donkeys in the area. Now owners are aware of their animals’ needs and give their horses and donkeys regular breaks for water.
Dillo the cart donkey from Peshawar in Pakistan worked hard for her young owner Najeem, to earn enough money to support his 6 siblings and parents. However, Najeem did not understand that his loyal donkey needed shelter from the sweltering sun and rest during her working day – as well as regular breaks for water. Poor Dillo was exhausted. Her head was lowered, her nostrils flared and she also had an injury to her foot – sustained through a fall due to exhaustion.
When Brooke vet Dr Javaid and his team came across Dillo on their weekly visits they concluded that the donkey was suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion from a lack of water, salt and shelter.
Straight away the team offered Dillo a drink from the permanent water trough the team had helped to establish in the community, to give her immediate relief. They also asked Najeem to sponge Dillo down with cool water to reduce her temperature, and then Dr Javaid offered the donkey green fodder, administered fluid therapy to aid her recovery and bandaged her injured foot.
Soon Dillo was recovering well and looking much happier. After holding a few one to one training sessions with Najeem, the Brooke team were confident that he understood the importance of offering his loyal donkey water during her working day, and would not let Dillo suffer during the long hot summers again.