Activities by the Foundation for
Animal Welfare in Cameroon FAWCAM have inspired hope and good news for donkeys
in Cameroon. The Premier animal welfare organization in the country has made a
significant difference in the lives of about 560 donkeys in Bui Division of the
North West Region.
Talking to the Guardian Post recently in Bamenda on the work
done on the lives of these special animals by the not for profit
non-governmental organisation, the Director Prof Ben Fru Wara explained that
“when FAWCAM arrived Bui some three years, the main problem encountered were
animals with wounds, lameness, respiratory disease and a fungal infection
called EZL that can be fatal.” Some of these donkeys he added “were looking
weak and many had wounds. Others could not stand for long periods because they
had overgrown hooves and injured legs.”
On the owners, the Professor noted that “their owners nearly
500 local subsistence farmers and cattle herders rely on their donkeys to
transport goods to market and carry water and fire wood for domestic use but
know little about how to look after them. These owners depend on animals for
their livelihoods, yet many of them have no animal welfare training and don’t
know how to identify the signs of disease, sickness and overwork. They lack
access to professional veterinary care.”
FAWCAM Director however regretted that these donkey owners of
Bui were not wicked to their animals but were ignorant of good donkey
management care. “They overloaded the animals and beat them when they don’t obey.
When the donkeys develop wounds or injuries the owners used local methods to
treat them. In some cases they succeeded but in others the animals died.”
It is within this framework that FAWCAM in collaboration with
government staff from the Divisional Delegation of Livestock, Fisheries and
Animal Industries with funds from Donkey Sanctuary UK organized a series of
educational workshop which has successfully replaced harmful traditional
practices with correct and compassionate animal care.
“After three years work with the donkey community of Bui
Division, almost all the donkey owners had become members of the new donkey
cooperative societies created by the Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs) of FAWCAM.”
Prof Fru Ben adding that “attitudes towards donkey welfare have made a complete
turnaround” with a majority of owners now able to understand what animal
welfare means and can now identify the signs of distress, sickness and overwork
of their donkeys.
“They have stopped working donkeys that are under two years old.
They now understand the danger of making heavily pregnant donkeys work and they
seek treatment for their donkeys from qualified veterinarians and get a
veterinary technicians or community Animal Health Workers (CAHWS) to trim their
hooves.” FAWCAM Director noted.
He appreciated the state of the animals saying “Most of the
donkeys in Bui are now looking beautiful and healthy without wounds or
infections of any kind. This is thanks to the knowledge of the Donkey Sanctuary
UK without which nothing could have been done in the interests of the donkey
owners and their donkeys. The FAWCAM is hopeful of extending its work to the
donkey owning community of the Northern regions of Cameroon beginning with
Benoue Division pending the approval of the Donkey Sanctuary of Great Britain.”
It will obviously be good news should the new plan see the light
of day.