STOP DONKEY ABUSE NOW
Limuru is literally known as the land of donkeys, reason being that
these very important but largely unappreciated animals are a crucial
means of transportation virtually everywhere. In Limuru as well as in
the neighbouring sub counties, you’ll find a donkey in every homestead.
Yet these animals are more often than not mistreated and spited by the very man who uses them for his transportation needs.
In
our endeavors to identify the donkeys that have been on the receiving
end of man’s greed, selfishness and ingratitude, we’re awestruck by the
suffering and vulnerability of these animals.
Most of the donkeys
were full of injuries, scars and suffered bacteria and fungi infections
in various parts of their bodies as the pictures in the website will
reveal. There were even donkeys that had their genitals mutilated and
infected to a point of impotence.
There were those that had deep
wounds as a result of merciless whipping and lack of protective
mechanisms such as head gear and back clothing. Others had their body
parts mutilated ostensibly for identification purposes.
There were
those that had been extremely overworked and they were more than sick
and tired. One donkey died as soon as its load was taken off its back.
Most
donkeys in this locality are infested with pests such as worms, ticks
and fleas while a good number of these animals were very unhealthy in
spite of them being expectant.
In these areas, donkeys are popular
with community events such as political rallies, campaigns and weddings.
But as one picture depicting a political rally reveals, a whole village
is on the back of a single donkey which means that the beast of burden
is more than being exploited and misused.
The donkeys are again
poorly fed to a point of being skin-and-bone. They leaf through
hazardous grounds that are can make them contract dangerous germs and
diseases. We found some donkeys literally scavenging in a hospital yard
that is so full of health hazardous such as used medical equipment. Some
donkeys scrape on bare soil and their emaciated and skinny bodies are
as a result of lack of enough diet. Some donkey owners wouldn’t even
recall the last time they fed their animals or provided them with
drinking water.
Yet there were those that suffered spinal problems
and yet medical attention seemed not forthcoming at least in the
foreseeable future.
Donkeys’ young ones as one picture shows are
separated from their mothers prematurely and are again committed to work
before they mature fully for such ordeals.
Donkeys in this locality
are also poorly housed. After a long day doing back breaking work, they
retire to squalor and squalid conditions at night, places that smack of
germs and diseases due to infestations with the same.
In a
nutshell, folks here have not been at the very least, been grateful and
caring as much as they ought to be of these key animals; creatures that
should be man’s best treated and loved friend.
This means that more
appreciative care and protection should be given to these animals for
them to continue serving man well as they have always done for ages.
After all, these animals are made of flesh and blood just like we the
human beings who are mistreating them badly. They also do have feelings
just like we and we should at the very least be sympathetic to them. We
have to get rid of barbaric exploitation of these creatures.
Yet
above all, we need to create and enhance awareness to donkey owners on
how best to take care and treat their animals so that they can serve
them better and more effectively.
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