Ethiopia
Ethiopia has over 2.75 million horses, many of which are sick, injured or debilitated through poor care and overwork. In 2006, our vets treated over 5,000 horses for a range of injuries and illnesses, many of them caused by them becoming exhausted from their backbreaking job pulling taxis. After gaining the trust of their drivers, we were able to show them how good care would benefit not only their animals but also their livelihoods.
Our commitment to education in Ethiopia spans all ages. We are in the process of building our own facilities in 3 schools and hope to begin courses in animal welfare in the near future. Meanwhile, projects like our cart owners' workshop in Debre Berhan give older working animal owners the chance to exchange information on all aspects of horse care.
SPANA treats thousands of horses in Ethiopia: many are used to pull taxis and provide a living for the taxi owners and their dependents.
Photo: SPANA
