Founded in 1923, global animal charity SPANA (the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) helps working animals in many of the world’s poorest communities, transforming the lives of horses, donkeys, mules, elephants, oxen and camels. The charity improves the welfare of working animals by providing free veterinary treatment, training local animal owners and teaching children about animal welfare.
SPANA is very grateful to the Elise Pilkington Charitable Trust for generously donating funding for the new veterinary centre we are building in Segou, Mali.
The new centre will tackle the root causes of poor animal welfare in Segou and facilitate the treatment of 60,000 working animals in desperate need of help each year. The site will also have stable capacity to look after around 2,500 animals a year while they receive critical care from veterinary teams.
Additional facilities will include an onsite laboratory, enabling vets to run tests to diagnose complex diseases, and a paddock to assess injuries and exercise injured animals to build up their strength. There will also be a dedicated space to train animal owners and educate children, the animal owners of the future, improving animal welfare in the longer term.
Mali is one of the world’s poorest counties and poverty-stricken families rely on an estimated 2.5 million working animals to help provide a small income and reach essential services, such as schools, hospitals and water points. However, despite their importance, there is a severe shortage of veterinary services across the country – including in Segou.
Working conditions can be very dangerous for animals, which often suffer from painful wounds and debilitating illness. This is why SPANA’s services are such a lifeline for working animals
SPANA has been working in Mali since 1996 and the charity currently has a centre in the capital city, Bamako, as well as operating three mobile clinics that provide veterinary care to animals in urgent need, including in remote, rural areas.
The new centre in Segou will be a vital addition, ensuring vets can treat wounds and injuries, provide vaccinations to protect working animals against tetanus and other deadly diseases, and replace harmful equipment with safe and comfortable alternatives to prevent needless suffering.
SPANA would like to thank the Elise Pilkington Charitable Trust for its generous support. To learn more about SPANA’s vital work overseas, please visit spana.org for more information.