Bruno’s brush with Tetanus

Every day, Bruno the donkey struggles up hills of hazardous waste, stepping over broken glass and sharp, rusted metal in the sweltering 40°C heat. Life is hard for humans and animals alike in Bamako, Mali, where hundreds of working donkeys help their owners earn a living collecting scrap.

One morning at the dump, Bruno suddenly slipped and found himself knee-deep in waste. His owner, Drissa, managed to pull him up, but poor Bruno emerged with deep cuts on his legs. In filthy environments, bacteria and toxins can enter even the smallest open wounds, and lead to deadly infections like tetanus.

Drissa brought Bruno to our member SPANA’s Bamako centre where the vets gently disinfected and dressed his wounds. Bruno was then given anti-inflammatory medication to reduce any soreness. Most importantly, a tetanus anti-toxin and vaccination were administered to protect Bruno against tetanus in the future.

Sadly, Bruno’s story is all too common for animals working in difficult environments. Your continued support can help SPANA save even more donkeys from the deadly threat of tetanus and other dangerous conditions. Thank you.

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