NP - Animal Nepal rescues nine surviving Khopasi donkeys

[Guest guest]

**

 

*Animal Nepal rescues nine surviving donkeys*

 

*Kathmandu/Khopasi – 11-09*-*2009* – In a grave case of animal abuse, an

estimated 55 working donkeys died due to mismanagement in Khopasi, Kavre

district. Of a herd of 54 working donkeys that were left behind by their

owner, and ten foals that were born to the pregnant mothers, only nine are

still alive. In order to save their lives, Animal Nepal rescued the

donkeys on Thursday. This says Animal Nepal, an animal rights organization

pioneering a working donkey outreach programme.

 

Animal Nepal unearthed the mass grave in Khopasi earlier this week. Says

Pramada Shah, Volunteer Director at Animal Nepal: ‘The death of some

55 donkeys at Khopasi stands as an example of the irresponsible attitude of

donkey owners in our country. The equines have died a slow and painful

death. The suffering of these donkeys and countless others goes unreported

and no one seems to care.’

 

Animal Nepal plans to file a case against the donkey owner. The organisation

requests the media and responsible government authorities to give more

attention to the grave abuse of working equines in the country. Animal Nepal

also calls for the passing of an Animal Welfare Act to make animal abuse

punishable by law.

 

Earlier this week Animal Nepal send an investigation team to Khopasi after

learning that Nepalgunj based donkey owner Rajesh Kashgar left 54 donkeys

with a caretaker and that the donkeys were dying one by one. The animals

were brought from Nepalgunj in December 2008 and worked in different brick

kilns until May 2009. After that the owner decided to leave them with a

farmer family in Khopasi, by providing them only with NRs 5000.

 

The team, consisting of Dr Sudeep Koirala and Surendra Basyal, found nine

donkeys huddled together in a small makeshift bamboo shelter, covered with a

simple plastic sheet.

The lifeless donkeys suffer from allergic wound on their legs, as well as

saddle wounds, and general weakness. ‘The donkeys are extremely weak and

seem depressed. They will certainly die soon when left in this place. The

caretaker family can hardly be blamed for the deaths since they are poor

daily labourers with no knowledge of donkey management’, said Dr Sudeep

Koirala.

The mass deaths of the donkeys and their foals are caused by multiple causes

resulting mostly from infected wounds and allergic pruritis. This combined

with a lack of nutritious food and medical care as well as difficulty

adjusted to the new environment and climate led to the deaths of the donkeys

during the past thee months.

Animal Nepal organised a rescue mission on Thursday September 10. A team

compromising of two vets and Animal Nepal's directors and programme manager

negotiated for the release of the remaining donkeys, in order to save their

lives. They were taken by truck to Animal Nepal's rehabilitation center in

Chobar, where the donkeys receive intensive medical treatment. The rescue

was filmed by Kantipur and Avenues Television.

'The donkeys are very happy in their new home, and until now respond well to

the medicines', says Dr Sudeep Koirala. After getting well, the donkeys can

be adopted through Animal Nepal's Adopt a Donkey Programme.

 

*Background information*

 

Animal Nepal in January 2009 started an outreach programme for working

donkeys in ten brick kilns in Lalitpur District. Here over 450 working

donkeys are tagged and treated; donkey owners are trained in health

management and general care. A Donkey Sanctuary is presently being

constructed in Godavari area. It is estimated that a total of 1500 donkeys

work in brick kilns inside Kathmandu Valley. Animal Nepal has conducted two

investigations in the management of the donkeys during off-season. Sick and

handicapped donkeys are simply abandoned outside the kilns; Animal Nepal

since May rescued eight such donkeys. Some 180 donkeys are transported to

Nepalgunj where they are abandoned on the street and turn into scavengers.

The Khopasi donkeys are among an unknown number which are left behind with a

caretaker inside Kathmandu Valley.

 

*For more information call Pramada Shah at 98510-41103, Manoj Gautam at

9841-496822 or Dr Sudeep Koirala at 9841-548553. Visit our website at

www.animalnepal.org*

Photos are free of copyrights when naming Animal Nepal. For high resolution

photos email animalnepal