The Brooke Hospital for Animals has been working to improve the lives of vulnerable horses, donkeys and mules and the communities that depend on them, since 1934. Now it has launched an initiative that will highlight volunteers who have ‘gone the extra mile’ and raised awareness of the plight of these creatures.
Louise Brown has supported Brooke since 2007, and as organiser of the West Kent fundraising group she and her team have raised more than £75,000.
Louise, who gives talks in the local area, became involved with Brooke after returning from Sudan, where she lived for six years.
She said: “Every day I saw horses, donkeys and mules pulling heavy and over-laden carts and carrying great big men, the thin legs of the animals barely able to support those weights.
“I saw these animals abandoned when they were too old or sick to be of further use to their owners. I never forgot about them.”
She added: “When I came home to the UK and saw an advert in the newspaper for Brooke, I knew this was the charity that would enable me to help those animals which I hadn’t been able to help before. Although Brooke does not have a presence in Sudan, they work in many similar countries.”
Polly West, Brooke’s Senior Regional Fundraising Officer, said: “We are so grateful to have such loyal and dedicated volunteers as Louise and the West Kent group.
“Not only do they raise incredible funds for working equids in need, but most importantly they help us spread vital awareness of the work we do to their local area.”
Brooke reaches more than two million working horses, donkeys and mules across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, providing vets, animal welfare specialist and development experts.
For more information, visit thebrooke.org
