A Donkey Sanctuary mobile unit working in Mexico recently met two working animals that contribute to their owners' lives in very different ways.

The Donkey Sanctuary has been working in Mexico City and the surrounding areas since 1984 and is based at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Omar Prado Ortiz, MVZ, is a Donkey Sanctuary vet who works in a mobile team covering Mexico City and the surrounding area, providing care and advice to the owners of donkeys and mules in some of the poorest regions. While donkeys in the United Kingdom are generally viewed as pets and enjoy a sedate lifestyle, for owners in overseas countries they are working animals, providing families with vital support in what can be difficult environments or tough economic circumstances.

On a visit to La Soledad, Ortiz met a 33-year-old man called Antonio Sanchez whose family had brought his mule to the mobile clinic for treatment. Since developing severe rheumatoid arthritis at the age of eight, Antonio has had to use a makeshift cart pulled by his mule as his only means of getting around. Although Antonio lives with his sister and her family, his illness has prevented him from being able to work and he often resorts to begging in order to survive. Ortiz found that Antonio's mule was in a poor condition with a large sore on its back. Ortiz treated the wound and was able to offer Sanchez advice on ways to keep his mule in good health to prevent the wound from recurring in the future