By Rachna Rishi (Assistant Information and Communications Officer)
05 Aug 2011

Overloaded donkeys with deep wounds are among the first sights we see arriving in Mahanadi - a picturesque village east of the Nallamala Hills in Andhra Pradesh in central India. Working horses and donkeys carry most of the goods but sadly, they don’t get the best deal.

The donkeys are owned by the Boya community who make baskets, shelves and bags out of forest bamboo – earning about 1500 Indian rupees or approximately £20 a week - their only source of income.

These goods are then sold in the surrounding villages of Bellary and Nandyal city but the beautiful products tell a sorry tale.

A long day for the donkeys

The donkeys begin their day at 5am trekking around 30 kms into the dense bamboo forest, returning home with back-breaking loads of up to 100 kg. They collect bamboo all day, six days a week, surviving only on water given to them by their owners before setting out in the morning, leaving them dehydrated. Their only source of feed is the green they graze on in the bamboo forests. But this can prove fatal as owners leave animals grazing in areas where poisonous pesticides are used and wild animals roam.

Wounds caused by overloading and insufficient padding are common amongst donkeys in Mahanadi. Saddle wounds, lameness and exposure to flies in the dense forests make the animals prone to fatal diseases.

How the Brooke is helping

Brooke India’s aim is to improve the donkeys’ welfare by helping owners understand their animals’ needs and putting improvements into practice. But when donkeys fall sick there is no veterinary treatment provided. Traditional healers are used most of the time but owners often don’t make the extra effort needed.

Kurnool District has a population of about 6,000 working horses and donkeys and this particular area has a population of about 600 animals so there is a significant need for veterinary services and training.

A Brooke veterinary assistant is now working in Mahanandi so owners can bring their animals for treatment.  Equine welfare groups and committees have been strengthened and group leaders educated about the Five Freedoms required for good animal welfare.

As Brooke India begins working in this new area, we hope to bring about a change in the way animals are treated and create awareness among owners about the harm of overloading.

Find out more about our work in India.