Well the shortest month of the year came with a punch or two.. lets say..
Firstly, we received a call from an owner in kwanobuhle to collect lame donkey. Collected and admitted to unit. Stan on it, although he may need to stay longer than usual to recover, pretty bad separation from bulb of the heel. Poor boy..
Then a complaint of an overweight rider on a skinny horse. When visited the owner realized it was not acceptable and had valid reasons for two skinny horses.
Recheck done on ongoing complaint – slight improvement. Two rabies injections also administered to be safe.
All residents at the Unit dewormed with pegaquest.
Received a complaint of donkey at 10th avenue walmer. Between Stan and owner back home safely.
Recheck on 12 horses done – acceptable.
So our little tetanic donkey, Lincoln, after receiving all his penicillin/muscle relaxants etc. in all due course, started to show signs that he was recovering. Oh thank the heavens!!! We started slowly letting him out onto big grassy areas to graze and exercise and lone behold he started running, more and more till eventually we received the go ahead to send him and his beautiful mom to their new home. The precious cargo finally arrived on Valentines day ! What a special day for them. It was a very long five weeks for both of them and us. Although super sad to see him go, so happy and grateful. Lots of space and grass to run in now. After checking on him a week later. We realized he was certainly finally out the woods. SUPER happy everyone !!!
Lucky Little Lincoln - Out of the Woods and into the Grassy Lands!
Assisted two donkeys with tick treatment.
Then our old faithful ‘Skoro Skoro’ (Colt) broke down bringing a huge load of fodder home. Sounds like clutch plates.. First had to tow bakki and horse box separately back to unit to offload - Then only to mechanic. Eish Cars!
Another sick donkey in uitenhage , by the time we got there (same day) it had unfortunately passed.. Colic?
Complaint of donkey with no water tied up, by time we got there it had moved.
Recheck and 3 more rabies injections done!
We then had a complaint of two very thin horses inland. When we visited, there was no one home so left note to advise to contact us. That they did, the following day. After a bit of discussion, it was thankfully decided by the owner that they would surrender them to us. We were there two days later to collect the poor things. They walked onto the box without any resistance. Luckily enough there was a foster home ready and waiting with ample grazing. We took them straight there the same day. So within days, one person changed the life of these two miserable souls . That’s all it took. If you see something wrong REPORT it to the relevant organisations. Dont pretend you didn’t see it, you are seeing it for a reason! You are their help. Although all cases are not as straight forward as this one and can be slightly complicated, rather make the effort than not. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
One of our donkeys who had been fostered out appeared to have two very swollen cheeks one morning and couldn’t eat properly. After a few day , getting progressively worse . We decided to fetch her and take her to 9th Avenue. Struggled to find exact cause. He took x rays, but nothing, so treated for a severe infection. Luckily after first day, she was already feeling better and by third and last injection back on track. Yay!
Then received a complaint of owner having too many horses on their property. Although there are guidelines to have no more than one large livestock animal per first hectre, then two per every hectre after that. These are guidelines not the law, as long as the animals are well cared for and living in hygienic conditions, it is acceptable.
Request to collect another lame donkey to bring into unit. Collected admitted, treated..
Recheck on Tb adopted out ages ago all good just moved farms. Please inform us if you have adopted from us and will be moving the animals. We panic if we don’t know where they are.
More Rabies vaccines given to local Walmer township donkeys.
After receiving a complaint from Willomore re over grown hooves,we did our best to follow up and hooves were tended to soon after phonecall.
Received disturbing confirmation of positive case of AHS in Chelsea. No more cases though since then. Crossing fingers.. Please take appropriate measures as the season is almost upon us.
We then had a complaint re another NPO organisation, which happens from time to time, however once investigated it was found that they were already under inspection by another National organisation, so stepping back for now.. Will do spot check at later stage though.
Another disturbing case: Suspected rabies. We were contacted by authorities to say possible rabies outbreak in Nobuhle area. A donkey owner had a problem with a few of his donkeys and it was suspected rabies whereby one animal had to be euthanased. Unfortunately she had a foal at foot which was still drinking. So we collected and administered rabies vaccine straight away, under state vet’s instruction and admitted to Unit. Poor little thing, lonely and confused.. Luckily Animal Welfare organised us a big teddy bear to leave in the camp with her so she felt some form of comfort. We all obviously took extra precautions, and could only comfort her with gloves on.. Drinking her milk but luckily old enough to much solids too..
Dr Hayward from 9th Avenue , Kindly donated another round of Rabies boosters for our staff under high risk conditions. Thank you Dr H.
Not even a week later we received another phonecall of another possible case in the same area, with another mother which had to be euthanased. Meaning another orphan baby for us to collect. We collected and admitted to unit. Administered rabies vaccine straight away. Our only option was to put her with our other orphan we collected a few days earlier. How happy she was to have a friend of her own kind. They started grooming each other straight away. Sharing much needed comfort to both.
Our little orphans giving each other some much needed comfort and encouragement...
Worried owner asking about bumb on horses stomach – advised just insect sting or bite.. No stress
Complaint of another laminitic horse – Educated owner let’s hope it sticks. Please teach yourself about laminitis and how it starts. You can kill your animals with kindness!
Advised again on taking in a stray donkey. Go to the nearest police station, on the same day if possible, to get affidavit/IB or Ob number, stating where you found the animal, where it is now and date you collected it. This just covers you so the owner can’t lay case of stock theft against you. Then generally speaking, if owner hasn’t claimed in 7 days , you can legally keep it!
11 donkeys and 3 horses hooves tended to by Stan.
After assessing two old girls that were going to be sent back to the unit, they were found to be healthy and fit for ‘old Girls’. So we have admitted them back to the unit and will soon be available for adoption , very sweet girls and as pretty as pudding!
Two more donkey hooves and one horse done.
Then the sad news of a couple’s break up, leading to sending horse back to Unit. So may be very nice little mare available for adoption soon (TB)..
Lastly a complaint of donkey on the island next to airport, obviously it had moved off before we got there but Stan found owner to try keep off road!
Till next time
Carla
GENEROUS DONATIONS RECEIVED DURING FEBRUARY FOR WHICH WE ARE MOST THANKFUL!
DONATION – Moira money and Ecomectin
DONATION – Sana protexin
DONATION – 9th avenue box of gloves and immune supplement oil
DONATION – Ralston 20 big bags carrots
DONATION – ANTOINETTE 15 x grassmix and 15x lucerne. Stan and Grooms go collect
DONATION – Marcelle vdberg Bag food, blankets buckets supplements.
DONATION – Brought t shirts for volunteers and one each for Stan and Myself , very kind.
DONATION – WaiKato 5 lucerne and 5 teff
DONATION – Catherine Grievesvery nice riding/horse stuff from daughter
DONATION – Books Claire
DONATION – 9th Ave Vet – 3 x Rabies boosters for staff.
DONATION – Michelle Clark – Bakki load of house stuff – Stan collected – For Auction
DONATION – Ansie Herman 30 bales Grass mix
Please note we also have donators who put money into our account every month, even though we don’t mention your names and amounts, please know how grateful we are to you for it!
VOLUNTEERS – Jess
VOLUNTEERS - Brett and Eugene
VOLUNTEER – Philippa
VOLUNTEERS – Jozlyn
Banking Details: Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit: Standard Bank Current Account 080733875, Code 051001. Reference: Your name. Facebook: EAST CAPE HORSE CARE UNIT Contact numbers Office cellphone 072 357 2505 NO LANDLINE email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.