Save working animals from the agony of parasites

A malnourished and underweight working donkey, whose symptoms were caused by internal parasites

Internal parasites were eating away at Yafet, draining him of nutrients and energy.

Parasites devastate the lives of thousands of working animals every year. Treating parasites is easy and inexpensive, but lower standards of animal welfare and lack of access to veterinary treatment in the places where we work mean many animals don’t receive the treatment they need. This can lead to awful consequences, including many infected working animals dying.

With your help, we can reach and treat more working animals suffering from parasites, and save them from the worms, mites and ticks that can put their lives in danger. We can also provide community training and preventative treatments – to protect working animals in the future.

By donating today, you could help so many working animals suffering with the terrible effects of parasites – and provide community training and preventative treatments to stop their pain in the future. Please will you help?

Click here to read our report on how your support can stop the pain caused by parasites.

Veterinarians give antiparasite medication to a working donkey suffering from internal parasites

SPANA vets gave Yafet antiparasitic medication to save him from parasites.

Yafet’s story

Yafet, whose name means ‘handsome’, works in the town of Shashemene, Ethiopia, with his owner Hiko. The nine-year-old donkey pulls a heavy cart of goods seven days a week, and needs every ounce of strength he has to get through it.

But over time, Yafet’s strength depleted. He grew thinner and weaker, going off his food. Hiko noticed that pulling the heavy cart was becoming unbearable for his donkey.

Internal parasites were eating away at Yafet. They had moved into his intestines, and caused so much inflammation that Yafet was beginning to suffer from colic. Unable to absorb food and starved of vital nutrients, he grew weaker and weaker.

It was clear that Yafet needed urgent treatment. The damage caused by parasites could eventually kill the poor donkey.

Luckily, Hiko knew that our expert vets regularly visit Shashemene in a mobile clinic and he brought Yafet to see them.

After diagnosing Yafet with internal parasites, our vets injected him with an antiparasitic medication called Ivermectin. Yafet was also given some nutritious feed and multivitamins to build up his strength.

Following his treatment, Yafet needed two weeks of crucial rest to recover at home. SPANA vets advised Hiko to rotate the animals he kept in his paddock and to regularly clean it to reduce the parasites in the environment.

Hiko was so grateful for the treatment his donkey received.

‘Thank you SPANA for helping my donkey and coming to my village,’ Hiko said. ‘I’m supporting my family with the income I’m getting from my three donkeys. You are saving my donkey and my family, too.’