Animal Nepal rescues nine surviving Khopasi donkeys

In a grave case of animal abuse, an estimated 55 working donkeys died due to mismanagement in Khopasi, Kavre district. Animal Nepal rescued the surviving donkeys. The donkeys for now are kept at Chobar Animal Sanctuary and will be shifted to our new Donkey Sanctuary at Godavari after Dasain.

Animal Nepal unearthed the mass grave in Khopasi earlier this week. 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 deaths are caused by multiple causes resulting mostly from infected wounds and allergic pruritis as well as malnutrition and unsuitable climate and shelter.

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 equine owners in our country. The animals have died a slow and painful death. The suffering of these donkeys and countless others goes unreported and no one seems to care.’

Sadly one of the rescued donkeys died at our shelter. The others are slowly recovering.

Watch a photo album of the rescuers in action at

http://web.me.com/studiosphoenix/Animal_Nepal_Photo_Gallery/Animal_Nepal_Photo_Essays/Pages/Donkey_Rescue_Sept_09_Album.html

Scavenger donkey rescued with foal

Last Monday AN rescued donkey Maneka with her baby foal Sanu from Bhaktapur. After the brick season finished in May, Maneka was left behind by a heartless owner. By this time she was lame and pregnant. Maneka most probably gave birth to Sanu on a busy intersection in the heart of Bhaktapur.

Maneka is one of the discarded donkeys that live as scavengers on the streets of Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts. They were brought from Nepalgunj in Western Nepal to work in brick kilns but abandoned after they were considered useless. The donkeys are forced to rummage through garbage heaps for food and create problems for traffic. Many abandoned donkeys are in fact pregnant females, and are forced to give birth on the street - without nutritious food, medical care or shelter.

Our staff Drs Sudeep and Surendra, together with Krishna Singh, acquired official permission from the police to take the donkeys to our temporary donkey shelter in Chobar. Local youth objected against the move, but AN managed to convince them by explaining that the donkeys won’t be able to survive on the busy streets of Bhaktapur much longer.

Maneka and her foal Sanu are now provided with much TLC, fluids, food and shelter at our temporary sanctuary. After many weeks of neglect and extreme stress, they can finally relax and recover their energy.

White Beauty is pregnant!

White Beauty, the emaciated donkey that we rescued from Manakana brick kiln found a loving home at the Happy Children's Trust in Godavari. Managed by Gabi, a German animal lover, the children's home has already adopted four stray dogs and five 'brick horses and donkeys'.

The children, when seeing the sad looking newcomer, must have seen lots of potential, as they named her White Beauty. At first, she needed intense care. Apart from being malnourished and being covered in sores, White Beauty suffering additional injuries after being attacked by a dog.

Her luck changed around only a month ago when it was discovered that she was pregnant!

We pray that White Beauty will give birth to a healthy fowl!

On the picture: Gabi with Juliet (left), rescued in 2008, and White Beauty.