Mexico

Our joint programme with the Donkey Sanctuary and the School of Veterinary Medicine & Zootechnics of the National University of Mexico (UNAM) aims to improve the health & general conditions of working equines owned by people of limited means in Mexico.

The ILPH have taken a two-tiered approach in Mexico; in addition to the five-year programme, the ILPH have also become involved with treatment teams in Mexico, which has resulted in the funding of £80,000 towards the ongoing work of improving equine welfare. In addition, the ILPH have contributed £25,000 towards equipping an abattoir at San Bernabe Market to enable animals with broken limbs to be destroyed humanely on site.

The animals receive free veterinary care (funded by both the ILPH and the Donkey Sanctuary) & the owners are educated on the importance of good hoof care & proper nutrition for their animals (funded by the ILPH). In order to reduce the incidence of injuries and sores resulting from poor fitting tack, they are taught how to make & fit their tack & harnesses correctly for carrying loads or pulling carts & ploughs.

With vehicles provided by the ILPH & the Donkey Sanctuary, three mobile treatment teams (each equipped with the necessary medicines & instruments & staffed by a veterinarian, a farrier, a fourth year veterinary student & a student carrying out social service) operate throughout ten of Mexico’s thirty-one states. The service, which is free of charge, deals with some 120,000 equines annually. In addition to the treatment of wounds & worming, vaccines are administered where necessary, mainly against rabies & encephalitis. Surgical cases are referred to the equine clinics at the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Lectures are also given in the communities directed at both at children & adults detailing the minimum care that animals require in order to work effectively. As most owners are affected by poverty and often struggle to feed their own families, it is a challenge for them to see why and how they can improve the welfare of their horses. We explain the economic benefits of maintaining their animals in good condition, as a healthy horse will be able to do a full days work, bring in more money and in turn improve the lives of the owners and their families.