Articles - Miscellaneous

The Brooke Hospital for Animals

Jo Curtis took this picture of a donkey in "Brooke" livery on her recent visit to Jordan. Coincidentally Jo had nominated this charity for extra parochial giving.

This is the first time that we have supported this charity. The Brooke works in those countries where the horse, mule and donkey are the main mode of transport and means of survival for its owner, who may be a poor farmer or a cart driver. It works on the principle that a healthy, well kept animal is more likely to generate a reliable income for its owner, have a longer working life and thereby benefit the local community as a whole. The charity trains veterinary teams who in turn hold free clinics giving treatment and training to local people in good animal practice and basic equine first aid with a view to enable them to be self sufficient in primary equine care.

For example, the Brooke has undertaken valuable work in Pakistan following the 2005 earthquake. Here they have worked with women, who play a key role in animal care, training them to be community animal health workers. In such remote mountainous areas the horse may be the only means of transport and as such a healthy animal is vital to the survival of the local communities.

Jo Curtis

© St Edmund's Church, Roundhay