Free veterinary care in Luxor, Egypt

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Occasionally in discussions I’ve mentioned ACE (Animal Care in Egypt). ACE was started by two English women who were visiting Luxor and found the conditions of working animals very confronting. Julie Wartenberg and her niece, Kim, set up simple but practical washing blocks where owners could wash their animals helping prevent some of the sores caused by dirt, dust and poorly fitted tack. The charity quickly expanded and a generous inheritance enabled the purchase of land and construction of a veterinary hospital. There is a walk-in clinic, a surgical hospital and 25 stables. Local and volunteer vets from abroad treat between 3,000 and 5,000 animals a month. No-one pays fees. Cats and dogs are neutered and spayed for free. Owners of horses and donkeys might be given padded nosebands to replace the chains so common there. Free care encourages owners to get help early. There is a strong emphasis on educating owners on animal welfare such as using well-filling harness. Four times a week, local school students come to the facility. They learn that animals feel pain and deserve respect. Such educational sessions are helping create lasting change. The equines in Luxor lead a very hard life but thanks to facilities like ACE, things are slowly improving. The photo is mine of donkeys in Ireland. I can’t find my Luxor photos. I think the animals were so thin and sad that I didn’t take any.