International animal charity SPANA (the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) will be providing free veterinary treatment in some of Botswana’s poorest communities.

The charity will establish veterinary services in the country to improve the health and welfare of more than 24,000 working donkeys, which are relied upon by families living in poverty. These animals enable the poorest people to earn a living by ploughing and carrying goods, firewood and water.

SPANA Botwana will run a mobile veterinary clinic that will initially visit ten villages around the town of Maun, travelling more than 250 kilometers (about 155 miles) each week. The population of donkeys in Maun is so large that the town is known locally as “Donkey Town.”

As well as veterinary treatment, SPANA will also be providing animal welfare training and education to the local community. These programs are designed to help to reduce the avoidable problems facing the donkeys, such as wounds caused by poorly-fitting harnesses, and build greater respect for the animals amongst their owners