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Bam Animal Clinics-Uganda: April 2025 donkey welfare clinics

  • Writer: Animal-Kind International
    Animal-Kind International
  • 4 days ago
  • 3 min read

Our Partner Organization, Bam Animal Clinics-Uganda, held donkey welfare clinics during 3 days in April, entirely supported by AKI donors. They started in Mutushet Sub-county in Bukwo District, where donkeys are the main source of transportation and where Bam's free donkey vet clinics and humane saddle making training sessions were greatly appreciated by all.


As so much of Uganda's east and of "donkey country," the area is very rugged and it's difficult to reach with a vehicle. Poor roads, some only dirt trails, with fog and rain obscuring views, driving a vehicle can be hazardous!


In the picture below, you can see that at these elevations and at this relief, the only space that Bam could find to hold their donkey welfare clinics was on a road:


A group of people, including children, stand around on a rural path near leafy trees with burlap sacks on the ground in Uganda.
Bam's humane saddle making training session had to be held on a road. It was the only relatively flat and open space they could find!

The Bam team first visited the local administration headquarters--a courtesy call is always a top requirement for a successful project. The staff said that they were the first group to visit the sub-county to help donkeys and they warmly welcomed the Bam team.

A group of people stand on grass near a building with a sign reading "Mutushet Sub County Headquarters" in Uganda.
The Mutushet Sub-County administration welcomed Bam Animal Clinics

Bam's humane saddle making sessions start with a demonstration of how to make the saddles. After the demo, Bam provides the trainees with sisal sacks so they can make their own saddles with help from Bam trainers.

Group of people outdoors holding sacks and signs and two donkeys wearing stuffed sacks on their backs in Uganda.
Humane saddle making training in progress with 2 donkeys already wearing their new saddles made during the demo. Next, the participants will each make their own saddle and they will keep it to use on their donkeys.

While the owners and their donkeys are gathered together for the humane saddle training, Bam also holds a free donkey veterinary clinic.

Man in green apron and blue shower cap gives worming medicine to a donkey through the mouth while another man holds the donkey and people watch in Uganda.
Time for de-worming

Because dogs are a part of donkey communities --they're the guards protecting donkeys against theft-- Bam is always ready to treat the dogs with rabies vaccinations, internal and external parasite prevention, and wound care. Most dogs seen by Bam in Mutushet Sub-County were undernourished and in generally poor condition.

A thin white dog stands on muddy ground with grass and puddles in the background in Uganda.
A Mutushet Sub-County dog: his job is to guard the family's donkeys

Of course, Bam explains to dog owners that a stronger, healthier dog is a better guard. But the people who live in this area are so poor and often struggle to get sufficient food for themselves. In light of that, their dogs didn't look all that bad.

A group of people on a dirt path are handling two dogs and one of them is being vaccinated in Uganda.
Rabies vaccines for the dogs of this donkey owning community

Two people in protective gear vaccinate a dog outdoors on muddy ground in Uganda.
Rabies vaccination

Next, the Bam team met with the District Veterinary Officer of Bukwo Distict to discuss how they can continue to work together to help more donkey communities to improve the welfare of their donkeys. Everyone acknowledged that local staff and farmers need training and that Bam's visit is a perfect start in raising awareness and spreading knowledge.  

Five men stand on steps outside a building with barred windows, wearing casual jackets and shirts in Uganda.
The Bam team with the Bukwo DVO

Next the Bam team was off to Chesower Sub-County where they again trained donkey owners to make and use humane saddles. Their training sessions always include discussions of other humane practices for working donkeys, including things like checking donkeys' hooves, good food, clean water, shelter. And as always, donkey owners were given a saddle to use for their own donkeys.

Group of people with burlap sacks and a donkey  in Uganda.
Humane saddle making in Chesower Sub-County

While in Chesower Sub-County, an injured donkey was brought to the Bam community vet clinic. The owner told the team that while transporting two bags of maize from his home to the market, the donkey was hit by a motorcycle and the donkey's hind leg was badly injured.


The owner said that he went to the local government vet, but he was unable to correct the leg and the donkey no longer uses it. The owner no longer uses the donkey for transport (which is a good thing!). But with this disability, the donkey is at risk from animal and human predators, including those involved in the illegal skin trade.


The Bam vets were unable to treat the donkey on-site. Possibly an xray is needed, which may be impossible to do in Uganda. But certainly a veterinary equine surgeon is needed along with specialized equipment, which Bam just didn't have available in the field. They hope to be able to follow up and help this donkey heal. And they may need some help from us.


 

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