The Brooke - Abandoned foals

Foals Babli and Ramdulari were only 2 and 4 weeks old when they were abandoned to fend for themselves at Thulai horse fair, in the Aligarh district of India.

Babli and Ramdulari are now healthy, safe and sound, with owners who care for them

As you can imagine, the pair were in a dreadful state. They were far too young to be left alone and had spent days without any care. Lack of fluids and nutrition had left them severely dehydrated; they were frightened and distressed, and in their weakened state their breathing was laboured – the early signs of respiratory infection. The Brooke mobile vet team, alerted to the foals’ plight, acted immediately to save their lives. They gave the foals fluid therapy, and antiobiotics to stop their respiratory infections from taking hold.

Their next priority was to find mare’s milk for the foals, to help them grow strong. It took all the team’s powers of persuasion, but eventually they convinced the owner of a suitable foster mother to help save Babli and Ramdulari. It was a temporary measure but the tiny foals had the chance to cling to life.

After a few days’ fostering, with regular monitoring from the Brooke team, the foals were out of danger. They needed new, permanent homes – and very special care for many months. Finding a home for an adult horse or donkey in good health would be easy – an owner can earn the cost of keeping the animal, and more, by putting it to work. But for little Babli and Ramdulari, the Brooke team had to achieve what seemed impossible: to find owners to care for these little ones for at least two and a half years before they could start work.

The Brooke team approached the people of the ‘Dhobi’ caste. This community of traditional washer-people agreed to take on the vulnerable orphan foals – with guidance and visits from the Brooke. When Babli and Ramdulari are older they will work carrying the loads of laundry from which their new family earn their living.

Thanks to your support, and that of people like you, Babli and Ramdulari are now healthy, safe and sound with owners who care for them. If only their previous owners had known how to care for their foals, maybe they would not have felt they had to abandon the poorly pair. The suffering of the foals and their mothers could have been avoided. There is still so much for us to do: thousands of little ones like Babli and Ramdulari are at risk – the best way to save them is to advise owners on ways to keep their foals healthy.

Horses and donkeys are so vulnerable in the countries where we work. Too many animals, young and old, are abandoned when they become sick or weak. Too many youngsters are put to work before their bones can cope with the burden, or are shod prematurely and incorrectly, leading to lifetimes of lameness.

Our teams do everything they can to help working horses and donkeys, and their foals, when they see them suffering. But even more important is the work they do to prevent these problems arising. By giving owners the information they need to better care for their animals, others will be spared the ordeal of abandonment.

Help us spare more animals the ordeal of abandonment

Thanks to the kindness of people like you – who care about the plight of working animals and their young – Babli and Ramdulari will be safe now, with the community which gave them a home.

Make a donation today to help us do more for the many thousands of working horses and donkeys, and their foals, who need us. Thank you.