By Dr Rab Nawaz (Brooke Pakistan vet)
20 Jul 2011

Television footage and photos shot from helicopters showed people clinging to walls and rooftops as gushing water gushed through villages.

More than one million people in northwest Pakistan were affected and more than 3,700 homes swept away, according to the government.

Working horses and donkeys were among the worst affected by the flooding, suffering from hunger, dehydration, injuries or health issues. Two of the Brooke’s operational areas, Mardan and Peshawar were especially badly hit with more than 3,750 animals swept away.

 
How the Brooke responded

 
I rushed to Brooke Peshawar office to an emergency strategy meeting with my other colleagues, focusing on how to rescue and help the animals.

Dr Shahabat (then Manager Brooke Peshawar) gave me the task of conducting a survey of the equine owning communities in affected areas to plan immediate relief services.

 
I moved with my team members towards the worst-hit area of Nowshera district where I found people carrying their belongings with children on their shoulders, some even walked barefoot through the water to seek safety.

There were many dead animals lying around. Authorities were using schools and colleges in surroundings areas to shelter those affected by the floods.

I found people and animals under trees waiting for help. There was an intense need for feed, drinking water and medication for the animals with a focus on horses, mules and donkeys.

In Mardan and Peshawar, we reached nearly 4,200 animals providing treatment, more than 17,000 litres of clean drinking water and over 5,000 kg of feed.

More than 700 animals were given de-worming medication, while 675 were vaccinated against diseases such as hemorrhagic septicemia and tetanus.

We also gave emergency aid to 145 children and provided food and water to over 1200 women and their children.

Now after one year

 
It’s been a year now since those devastating floods caused untold damage, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and animals but it also provided some real life lessons about how to plan and fight a monster much bigger then yourself.

To sustain the work in case this ever happens again, we have trained community based animal health workers, farriers and vets to deliver much-needed services locally. 

What will happen this year?

Currently we are focusing on raising awareness on the importance of horses, mules and donkeys in times of emergency, through regular community meetings with owners, children and the general public.

As this year’s monsoon season approaches, state authorities are again warning communities to adopt precautionary measures.

Brooke Mardan is also in close contact with animal owners, providing regular advice to them on animal welfare issues and how to respond when flooding is forecast.