Little donkey

19/02/2013

“Little donkey, little donkey

On a dusty road

Got to keep on plodding onwards

With the precious load.

Been a long time little donkey

Thro' the winter's night.

Don't give up now little donkey

Bethlehem's in sight”

When was the last time you saw a donkey, cow, goat, horse or chicken strolling down your street? For me, it was this morning. Animals are heavily relied on here, in a very obvious way. Many people have their own cattle, and use donkeys for work. You have to be careful where you step for the copious amounts of dung and dropping (of various sizes and colours) and be sure not to get in the way of their munching.

I cannot help but flinch when I see the long whips being used and hearing the crack of the leather or wood against their hide. Horses are used for passenger carts and cargo carts, and donkeys also for cargo. Their harnesses are often ‘bodged’ and ill fitted, created big gashes and wounds, particularly on their underbelly and joints. The saddest thing is that these will remain untreated, probably get infected and be the demise of these animals. Even when the animals are clearly wounded and struggling, their masters continue to work them and punish them.

I have seen children throwing rocks at donkeys who were minding their own business trying to get some shade and a chew of some grass. I intervened, but to little result.

The issue is there is very little prevalence of human rights here, so that makes it even harder to encourage animal rights. I am quite sure that if the people who are using animals for their livelihood were educated and shown that keeping the animals healthy and treating them fairly will prolong their lives and thus mean they get more in return for them, there would be a turnaround in the attitudes currently surrounding animals and their treatment.

Kx