A young colt in agonizing pain!
Sadly, our team see many animals like Najem, with unbearable belly pain. In many families, poverty runs so deep that their working animals don’t get enough to eat … driving the animal to eat rope, plastic bags, and other objects — anything to make themselves feel full.
Our medical team was able to respond quickly to Najem’s condition … to ease his suffering … and finally to restore him to complete health. It took days, but …
This tormented animal — and the family depending on him — received a new lease on life. We know we will see another Najem … another animal serving a family in poverty, and in urgent need of medical attention.
With the help of supporters, we make a wonderful impact, offering crucial help to sick and injured working animals … offering hope to the people for whom they are practically part of the family.
When he arrived, his heart was beating fast, and he was panting. He lay on the ground, struggling to stand but too wracked by abdominal pain. Our examination of his gastrointestinal tract revealed an alarming silence: nothing was moving, nothing was happening. He was distended. His vitals were alarming.
Our team went to work, and provided continuous intensive care and treatment, beginning with an IV to get him hydrated and stabilized. Finally, on Day 3, Najem’s condition shifted. His system began functioning again (and yes, we found that he had indeed eaten ropes, plastic bags, and other foreign objects).
Soon Najem was trotting, playful. His vitals were good. He began wandering around the clinic like a curious guest. At one point he decided to eat some fresh grass in our paddock and then take a sun bath.
Najem, the star, was shining again!
This is not simply the story of a sick colt made well, nor even the story of a superb veterinary team. It was the generosity of our supporters that opened our doors and provided the care that Najem so urgently needed … care that may have saved his life, and spared his family from devastating financial ruin.
This past year, we’ve faced a record-breaking increase in caseload. In the first quarter of last year, we treated 133 animals. In the same quarter this year, we treated an astonishing 526 animals, almost a 300% increase. And we don’t see any signs of significant let-up. There are more and more animals needing medical attention, more and more families turning to us for help.
So I humbly ask for your support today. Whatever you give today, you’ll make a truly important
difference. You’ll help us keep opening the door, keep saying “Yes,” keep offering top-quality medical care to working animals here in North Africa.
