Safe Haven 4 Donkeys featured in award winning documentary

Safe Haven 4 Donkeys was established in 2000 to provide a sanctuary for abandoned and abused donkeys in the Holy Land.The charity also focuses on educating and advising local communities on animal welfare and providing veterinary care and support. Situated in Israeli village Gan Yoshiyya, close to the West Bank, the sanctuary now provides shelter and lifelong care for around 200 unwanted, and often injured, donkeys in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

They are supported by a small UK team in Sussex, raising funds and promoting sponsorship and adoption of rescued donkeys.

Currently there are three mobile veterinary teams in the West Bank in Nablus, Hebron, and the Jordan Valley visiting animal markets, refugee camps and remote villages assisted by a farrier. In addition, there is a permanent clinic based in Nablus. A new rescue centre has just opened in Arrana in the West Bank caring for donkeys working in farming, transport and construction.

All those working for the charity are safe but concerned about the present conflict and devastation in Gaza. They sent an animal aid truck in January but along with others it has been detained at the border for months.

Last year their activities extended into Egypt following an appeal by an Egyptian veterinary surgeon. A small team is now working alongside the Egyptian Altar mobile unit and the El Gesr Foundation employing their tested methods of education alongside animal welfare hoping to bring about changes in attitudes to the treatment of these working donkeys. They visit 120 El Saf brick kilns in the desert region. In May a second mobile unit will be operational.

Catholic actor and animal campaigner Peter Egan has been a patron of Safe Haven for three years. Together with its CEO Andy Foxcroft and filmmaker Andrew Telling, founder of Orange Planet Pictures, they went to the Egyptian Al Gisa desert to record the plight of the brick kiln donkeys in their documentary: 'Broken: The Brick Kiln Donkeys of Egypt'. Coincidently they flew out on the weekend of 7 October - fortunately their travel was not affected.

The film, narrated by Egan, was entered into the MPB Geographical Better World Video Awards. On 15th March they learnt that they had won an award. Part of the prize money is £1000 donation to a charity, which will be given to Safe Haven.

Egan and Telling have collaborated over the last ten years highlighting the abuse of animals around the world in documentaries including the plight of bile bears in Asia and rhino poaching in South Africa.

Last Wednesday the documentary was screened to an invited audience of 60 at the Royal Overseas League Club, London, facilitated by a trustee and member of the club. The charity always ensures funds are directed to their work with donkeys .

The film exposes the working conditions and practices of the brick kilns that are reminiscent of Biblical times when the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians.

The donkeys suffer extremely harsh conditions, and appalling neglect and cruelty. Working long hours in the dust and heat they haul over laden carts of clay bricks. Barefoot boys as young as ten also work in the same conditions brutally beating the donkeys.

Seeing the documentary during Passiontide seemed particularly poignant, recalling Christ entering Jerusalem on a donkey, and donkeys of course have a cross on their backs.

The film opens with carts being laden with bricks and a malnourished donkey being beaten. Egan draws attention to a collapsed donkey, emaciated and seemingly close to death. The Safe Haven team struggle to get him to his feet and treat him intravenously with a drip. His back is raw with a hideous sore caused by an ill-fitting harness. Gradually the blood begins to circulate, and heat felt in his body again.

It is heartbreaking to see donkeys constantly beaten by men and boys. The children find it fun, not understanding they are inflicting pain, so education is critical.

A farrier is seen cleaning and trimming their hooves. CEO Andy Foxcroft says the team show the owners how to adapt and make better fitted harnesses and improve their wagons.

Hard to watch at times, the film concludes on a hopeful note. Peter learns that the owners are responsive to what the vets and Safe Haven team are doing. although it may be more for economic reasons than compassion; healthier donkeys will be more productive.

Ending on a heartwarming moment the donkey that was broken and close to death is seen in the open-air eating grass- a testament to the amazing work of the Safe Haven team.

They hope to establish a permanent presence at the kilns and train more farriers. The team has an open invitation to return this year and Egan plans to return with them.

Afterwards he said that the film has aroused interest in America and he and Safe Haven are involved in talks about the possibility of providing automated machines to replace the donkey's arduous toil.

You can see Broken: The Brick Kiln Donkeys of Egypt on YouTube: www.youtube.com/embed/s4aTBeY4QI?si=DP2UOOvvmdJl_NFW

To donate to Safe Haven 4 Donkeys and learn more of their work see: www.safehaven4donkeys.org