Celebs speak up for thirsty working animals

You know how important it is to make sure your pony always has fresh water – especially on hot days or after a long ride. But around the world, lots of working animals like donkeys, horses, mules, camels and oxen sadly don’t have easy access to water.

To help raise awareness, some famous faces – including actor Jim Broadbent and businesswoman Deborah Meaden – have joined a campaign led by animal charity SPANA (The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad). They’ve written a letter to world leaders, asking them to make sure animals who work hard every day get the water they need.

New research also shows that in a drought, people in the UK would put water for their pets before things like washing clothes or even having a shower – just after drinking water for themselves. It’s clear we really care about animals!

In the open letter, signed by Jim Broadbent, Deborah Meaden, TV vets Dr Marc Abraham OBE and Dr James Greenwood, SPANA Chief Executive Linda Edwards, and others, they wrote:

“The 15 June is International Working Animal Day and as many countries at the sharp end of the climate crisis are experiencing more frequent droughts and water scarcity, we are calling on you, global leaders, to prioritise access to water for working animals such as horses, donkeys, mules, camels, and oxen.”

They continued:

“Working animals are the unsung heroes of the water crisis. It is working animals that help communities survive, carrying clean water long distances in times of drought, yet their essential contribution is too often overlooked and tragically they are often the last to receive the little water that is available.”

SPANA is asking governments to think about animals when they’re planning water services – because in many places, people and animals rely on each other to survive.

According to a new survey, 84% of people in the UK would share their water with their pets if there was a drought. That shows just how much we care. But sadly, lots of people don’t realise how badly working animals around the world are affected by climate change, including droughts and heatwaves.

With a hotter-than-usual summer likely in the UK, experts say it’s important to understand that droughts and floods are becoming more common in lots of countries, and that has a big impact on animals.

Linda Edwards, who leads SPANA, explained:

“Millions of people across the world depend on working animals for farming, transport and daily survival – especially in regions hardest hit by poverty and climate stress. They are the unsung heroes of the water crisis, transporting water from sources such as pumps and wells to communities. Yet, their essential contribution is too often overlooked.”

One of those working animals is a three-year-old donkey in Nouakchott, Mauritania. He belongs to Cheikhny, a 30-year-old man who uses the donkey to carry heavy water containers for his community. The donkey works for 9-10 hours a day, often in the blazing heat, pulling a cart that can weigh up to 400kg!

When Cheikhny saw his donkey was poorly – with wounds caused by a badly fitting harness and itchy parasites – he took him to a SPANA mobile clinic for help. The vets gave the donkey pain relief, antibiotics and medicine for the parasites, and also gave Cheikhny advice on how to look after him better.

Cheikhny said:

“My donkey is important. Without him, I can’t earn money. My children wouldn’t have food. He’s my partner in work. People told me that SPANA treat animals well, and it’s true. As soon as I arrived, they took care of him.”

Iman Bechir, who works with SPANA in Mauritania, added:

“In Mauritania, many working animals live in extremely difficult conditions. The climate is arid, and access to running water is limited due to a lack of infrastructure. We see many animals suffering from dehydration, heatstroke and extreme fatigue. With a critical shortage of vets in Mauritania, many animals would not survive without SPANA’s support.”

SPANA is doing lots to help, like running vet clinics, giving owners advice, and fixing broken water systems so animals can drink safely. They’re also teaching children and families about how to care for animals – just like you learn to care for your pony.

Even though many people care about animals, SPANA’s survey found that one in three people in the UK don’t know that working animals suffer from thirst and heat stress. But once they do find out, many say it makes them feel sad (50%), angry (24%), or frustrated (20%).

That’s why International Working Animal Day, held every year on 15 June, is so important – it helps spread the word and encourage more people to take action.

Last year alone, SPANA helped more than 486,000 working animals across 22 countries, trained 117,000 animal owners, and taught over 112,000 children about animal care.

SPANA has been helping working animals since 1923 and is doing amazing work to improve the lives of donkeys, horses, mules and camels all around the world.

To find out more and see how you can help, visit spana.org