The Brooke - Should we be helping animals or people?

[HHO admin]

The Brooke has heard people say they don’t feel right about supporting an animal charity when there are so many people living in poverty and struggling to survive. Others tell us that donkeys and horses, who work so hard for their poor owners in the developing world, shouldn’t suffer and deserve our help.

In many poor communities where there are no cars or trucks, they do jobs such as carrying bricks and hauling building materials, taking produce to the market to sell and transporting people. You can watch a video of them at www.helpboth.org

They are essential to the poor families who depend on them, but many of these animals suffer terribly because their owners don’t know how to care for them properly or lack the resources. What do you think should be done? Should charities be focusing on animals or people?

If you would like to find out more about the Brooke, the animal charity that helps people too, please go to www.helpboth.org

 

[Sooty]

Strangely, the Brooke is the only charity I donate to on a regular basis precisely because it helps both animals and people. I would always give to people charities as a priority over animal ones, and personally tend to focus on homelessness and human rights issues, but the Brooke really does make a difference. Many owners of maltreated animals are not cruel, merely ignorant of proper animal care.

 

[duckling]

Ditto - its helping the animals to help the people, and without that help the people would be worse off and the animals in more pain.

 

[kerilli]

i give to both types of charity, but more to animal charities because (and i know i'll probably get shot down in flames for saying it) the animals have no voice, they can only suffer and endure, whereas most people (small children excepted) can at least voice their pain and suffering and try to get something done about it.
also, as said above, helping the animals directly helps the people too in many poor countries, where a family may depend upon a small donkey being able to do a day's work.

 

[mle22]

I give to the Brooke because I think it is the best animal charity, plus it helps people - but I also give to human charites as well. I think a lot of the poor and disenfranchised people of the world don't have a voice. I do select my charities carefully though and only give to those where I feel the money is doing real and practical good.

 

[vennessa]

In those countries where the brook help the donkeys etc there would be more poverty if the animals were not cared for/owners given advice. They use the animals to survive and so are actually also helping the humans.
I no longer give to human charities but help[ select animal charities which do not pay extortinate wages/high overheads/waste funds.
I do think more people give to human charities rather than animal.
Humans are not killed because no-one wants them whereas animals are. Most animals are brought into this world with the aid of humans who then turf them out when they don't want them.

 

[Tia]

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Strangely, the Brooke is the only charity I donate to on a regular basis precisely because it helps both animals and people.

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Same here. I have always held the Brooke in very high regard. The work they do is a win-win situation as far as I can see; in teaching the owners rudimentary care of these animals, the animals' sufferings are lessened.

For me, Brooke, is one of the most worthy charities around.

 

[Cuffey]

As a monthly supporter of The Brooke it helps the animals in situations where families dont eat if the donkey is sick so helping it to be healthy and comfortable is crucial. Their work on farriery, bitting, tack and changing human attitudes towards animals is invaluable.

 

[hackneylass2]

I have supported the Brooke since the Street of the English Lady doco aired on TV err probably around 20 years ago now. The Brooke and the CPL are my 'pet' charities.

Personally I prefer to give to animal charities, as its humans who cause the suffering/loss of habitat/deliberate cruelty but with the Brooke they do have a real plus in that they are helping the animal, its owner and the owner's family. Some of the poverty where Brooke work is almost unimaginable.

Its my opinion that the Brooke has contributed significantly to lessening both animal and human suffering, so I say all power to em and ignore the detractors. No oneis forcedto give to charity, so I can't see why some folks are complaining.

Dorothy Brooke's book For the Love of Horses is a fascinating read what tells of Brooke's origin. She was one amazing lady.

 

[ann-jen]

I visited the Brooke in Cairo about 7 or 8 years ago. It is an amazing charity - not only in caring for some of the most extreme cases of animal suffering I've seen but also in educating the people into the care of their animals. It can sometimes be very difficult to understand the absolute poverty that some of these people are living in and therefore if their animal is unable to work then their family starves. The Brooke not only deals with veterinary matters but also educates the owners of these animals in basic farriery, bitting, and harness care to ensure that their animals have a longer and more healthy (and productive) life. Simple things like placing water troughs and allowing access to water at caleshe stops have made a huge difference.
I spent a very emotional day with one of the vets at the hospital and it is an experience that will stay with me forever and thats why I support the charity in the best way I can - by giving them money.

 

[hackneylass2]

AnnJen, did you go on one of the Brooke's holidays by any chance?

 

[ann-jen]

No but I've always been a supporter of theirs and as a vet I was interested to see what they do. I went on holiday to Egypt - 7 days in Luxor and 3 days in Cairo - mainly to see the sites, but felt while I was there that I would like to see the hospital in Cairo.
I was there with an ex vet nurse and really wasn't sure what to expect. The taxi was taking us into a really dodgy looking part of Cairo and we were both a bit nervous! When we got there, judging by the area I was expecting a tiny little old fashioned affair but in actuality it was a very modern equine hospital with proper hoist and operating facilities and loads of stabling for the in patients. I think we had thought naively that we would be able to help in some way when we were there but they were very organised and certainly didn't need any assistance from us - we ended up helping in the best way we could by leaving money! They were extremely welcoming, they took us on a guided tour of the place and explained about each of the many horses and donkeys in their care and they even wrote to me for many years after we visited - just a newsletter type thing which I'm sure is sent to everyone in the visitors book but I still found it touching.
We were both moved by the place but my friend in particular was very emotional when we left. They have a yard where the horses which are too far gone to be saved live. They get 24hs in the peace and shade with food and water before being put to sleep. Some of the sites in there you would not believe! A lot of Egyptians believe that pin-firing is a cure for all equine ailments and there was a particularly emaciated grey mare there with a huge tumour on her side who was literally criss-crossed with scars from the repeated "diy treatments" she'd had. I'll never forget how friendly she was. Very sad but also very much why educating the owners of these animals is most definitely the way forward.

 

[AmyMay]

I think that the Brooke do an enoromous amount of good in the countries they operate in.

By educating the owners of their animlas - they are ensuring that they live longer and healthier lives, able to carrying on working much longer than they would under normal circumstnaces.

This has to be a positive step in helping people make a living as well as supporing the animal that they need to make their living.

 

[Flame_]

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Humans are not killed because no-one wants them whereas animals are. Most animals are brought into this world with the aid of humans who then turf them out when they don't want them.

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But this is the point isn't it? It is acceptable, even condonable and responsible to PTS an unwanted animal. People can't be PTS and IMO are more in need of charity, as far as animals in this part of the world are concerned anyway. For countries where animals will inevitably suffer, ironically because they ARE wanted and have a job to do, charities' support is vital. The Brooke does very important work and IMO is very deserving of support.

 

[sa16poppy]

I believe yes we should be helping animals. In theses countries by helping the animals you help the people. However I believe in helping ALL animals ..... which is why I support ACE - Animal Care Egypt .... www.ace-egypt.org.uk

It is a British charity working in Luxor, Egypt. They educate, treat, and try to PREVENT sores, ailments etc. Which of course is incredibly important. However, they are also trying to change laws, and bring in legislation to assist with the protection and welfare of animals.

The people in Egypt cannot work without these animals, and they rely heavily on them in order to earn money to feed their families.

So by helping the animals, you help the people. Everyone is a winner. If you just help the people, you are not helping them earn for themselves, and the animals would still suffer.

 

[Theresa_F]

I give to various people charities and also to animal ones - I prefer the smaller ones, with the exception of Brooke - they do a wonderful job and by education of people, the animals are helped.

Fact of life, animals need to work in these places - but simple things to make life easier are being done by Brooke.

 

[stormalong]

I also support Ace and urge others to donate to this worthwhile charity. I visited the centre in Luxor last year, and they care for all animals, horses, donkeys, dogs, cats, and also educate the people of Egypt on the care of their animals who work incredibly hard for them. In caring for the animals it supports the people of Egypt in providing for their own families. The support they give IS making a difference and I beg people to make a difference by donating a few pounds a month to which ever charity they choose. So in my mind ACE help animals and ultimately people at the same time

 

[Donkeymad]

Interesting that you ask this after the Poll last week about working donkeys in the third world. Being heavily into donkeys, their care and welfare, I am a huge supporter of Brooke, SPANA and the overseas part of the Donkey Sanctuary.
People in these poor countries rely on their donkeys for their lives, literally. This includes the children who often themselves have to work all day with the donkeys/mules.
I believe that more people in this country (UK) support child charities than animal charities (outside of us horesy folk) and therefore I would always donate to such as Brooke before the NSPCC.
The charities I mention here do more than patch up the animals, they teach the owners simple ways to make the animals healthier and able to work better. This is a circle which benefits the animals, the owners and their children.