Reply author: sasha
Replied on: 15 Jun 2011 2:59:43 PM
Message:

Here is a reply I got from Brooke today after emailing them and telling them to get their act together and feed these starving horses again.

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Dear Mrs Sumpner,



Thank you for your email. I can understand your concerns with the poor condition of some horses in Egypt. They are concerns that we do share here at the Brooke and I hope to explain to you the work which has been carried out in Egypt in recent months.



The Brooke has assessed the situation carefully, and together with The Donkey Sanctuary and Egyptian Society for Animal Friends (ESAF), agreed that the emergency feeding programme would come to an end on 21 April. The Brooke team in Egypt has also met with community leaders several times over the past few months with whom we have trusted and long running relationships and agreed on the date the programme would finish.



During the crisis the Brooke provided feed and treatment, as part of an emergency response to the crisis. We also worked closely with owners to help ensure proper care for their animals. The Brooke provided feed for horses, donkeys and mules affected by the collapse of the tourist industry in Cairo, Aswan, Edfu and Luxor. In total 90,000kg of feed was distributed and over 28,000 veterinary treatments carried out (between February and 21 April) and we believe that feeding can be a valuable emergency solution. However we are confident that responding to these drops in tourism with free food longer-term will not solve the problem. It does not address how animals are cared for (which our education and training programmes seek to do) and it could increase the owners’ dependency, as well as create an unlimited need for free food year round.



The decision to bring the emergency programme to an end was based on the improved tourism situation – whilst the industry has not yet fully recovered, the situation for these animals overall has stabilised. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism has stated that the tourists are starting to visit Egypt again, meaning animal owners are able to start earning an income again.



We know that some animals remain in a poor state of health, particularly in the area of the Pyramids. This is something that all of us at the Brooke, including our Cairo team, care greatly about and are monitoring closely. Sadly, some animals were in poor condition before the crisis, that’s why the Brooke was already working in this area. Unfortunately simply providing these animals with free food will not solve the problem, particularly in the long term.



The Brooke is continuing to deliver its local veterinary services and community animal health programmes in Egypt, and is supporting communities to look after their working horses and donkeys in a sustainable way. Our programme in Egypt works with more than 190 communities, across seven regions: Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Edfu, Alexandria, Marsa Matrouh and the Nile Delta.



The Brooke has worked to build a sustainable programme in Cairo and across Egypt over the last few years. We are working with the animal owners to change attitudes and behaviour, which is crucial in order to empower owners to be able to look after their animals and ultimately improve the condition of these animals permanently.



I hope this explains our long term goals in Egypt and across the developing world. Your comments will be taken very seriously and I can assure you that the Brooke are frequently reviewing the situation in Egypt to assess what actions should be taken.



Kind regards



Philip Aston

Supporter Care

The Brooke
30 Farringdon Street
London EC4A 4HH

Main: 0203 0123 456

Email: info@thebrooke.org
Web: www.thebrooke.org

‘Healthy working animals for the world’s poorest communities’