26 January 2006
Since the devastating earthquake struck in north west Pakistan last October, the Brooke’s dedicated veterinary teams have been working tirelessly in the area treating tens of thousands of animals, and helping countless vulnerable people keep their animals alive throughout the bitter winter months.
The Brooke has four mobile veterinary crews based in the worst hit areas of Balakot and Muzzafarabad, where it treated over 34,000 animals in the aftermath of the quake for a range of problems, including lameness and multiple injuries caused by falling rubble and landslides, and hypothermia from lack of shelter.
Together with the Humane Society International (HSI), the Brooke has built over 300 winter-proof shelters for poor communities living high up in the mountains. In addition, the charities distributed hundreds of free sacks of concentrated animal feed, and carried out a comprehensive vaccination programme against potentially fatal diseases for over 13,000 livestock.
One of the bravest relief efforts organised by the Brooke was a 40-strong ‘donkey train’ to deliver medical supplies, blankets and food along a treacherous mountainous route up to 8,000 feet. During the 13-day operation, 50,000 kg of supplies was delivered to desperately needy people. And help was not restricted to the animals – in the immediate aftermath of the quake the vets treated thousands of people where no other medical help was available.
“These animals are vital for the survival of millions of people in the region as they are only source of milk, meat and transport for countless families,” reports Mike Baker, the Brooke’s chief executive, who has just returned from the region. “We discovered that many people were foregoing the best available shelter for their animals – many using the rubble of their own homes to build winter shelters for them.”
Baker continues: “In addition to being the UN’s official partner for animal relief in the region, we have been coordinating our relief efforts with the Pakistani military, The International office for Migration, together with financial assistance and expertise from HSI, we are reaching as many animals as possible but we fear there are many tens of thousands still housed in unsuitable makeshift shelters in more remote parts of the region that could die without our help.”
Future plans for the Brooke and HSI include putting in extra four-wheel drive vehicles capable of withstanding increasingly difficult terrain and the big freeze, and the Brooke is talking to other official agencies on the ground about long-term recovery programmes.
A £100,000 Pakistan Quake Appeal has been launched by the Brooke to fund the treatment of animals, vaccination programme, fodder and shelter to animals, and educate owners about good care and welfare practices in the region affected by the earthquake. Money raised from the appeal will help Brooke to continue this work throughout 2006. The Brooke has been working in Pakistan since 1991 helping over 250,000 working equine animals every year across seven regions of the country.
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