REPORT OF TWO VOLUNTEERS, BANICHAN, BULGARIA (MAY 2023)
For the second time we were allowed to volunteer in Banichan and support the team from Bulgaria in their daily work as well as in a 17-day neutering project.
It is incredibly beautiful and impressive how trusting, cuddly, curious and playful most of the 63 donkeys and Maria, the mule, are.
When we were in the Donkey valley for the first time a year ago, Mutte had only recently joined the herd (see post from May 10, 2022). He made a somewhat lost impression on us at that time and always stood apart, but enjoyed being petted and groomed very much. In the meantime he is completely integrated into the herd and enjoys his new life and the well-deserved retirement. As donkey owners and lovers, our hearts swell every time we enter the Valley.
When we traveled to Bulgaria for the first time last year, we deliberately took our time and traveled by car to the Donkey Valley in Banichan. We wanted to see and feel what life is like for the animals and people in the Balkans. The handling of the animals, the knowledge about their needs and attitude and the love for the animals cannot be compared in all the countries we traveled to what we know in Switzerland. For example, we did not meet any donkey that did not live in solitary confinement, which is prohibited by law in Switzerland. Most of the time you see them standing alone, with a rope around their front leg, in a meadow, covered with annoying flies. The few stables we got to see were narrow, dark, not at all comparable to our standards. Also, many of the donkeys we met outside the valley were in poor health. They had wounds or bruises from being pulled or carried, usually hooves that were much too long, and often bad teeth. This breaks an animal lover and donkey lover's heart every time!
Donkeys are known to endure a lot, they hardly show any pain. However, we find that you can tell by looking at a donkey whether it is "happy" or not. Unhappy donkeys have a dull, sad look. In the Donkey valley, all the donkeys have an alert, clear look; every single one here seems happy. They all get to spend their last years and well-deserved retirement in the valley, in beautiful big stables and on huge pastures.
Since the first retired working donkeys moved in, over 180 donkeys have been taken in. The Donkey Valley can accommodate a maximum of 65 donkeys. During our stay Arkan was allowed to pass away, he laid down on the pasture for the last time on a sunny spring day and closed his eyes forever. It was a peaceful sight. We decorated Arkan with flowers and thus paid him a last tribute, grateful to have spent time with him the days before, caressing and grooming him.
In the neutering project, we assisted the two veterinarians Konstantin and Stojan in administering the anesthesia. After that we shaved the animals for neutering, prepared them for the operation, disinfected and registered them. After the operation we brought the animals back to their box, which had been cleaned by us in the meantime. Also the monitoring of the animals after the operation belonged to our tasks.
The animals remained in the neutering center after castration until they were fully awake and responsive again. Later, they were released in the same place where they had been captured. Before each project, flyers are posted and social media is used to call for free castration of strays.
We mostly split up and also accompany and support the "catch team". The catching of the cats and dogs needed a lot of time and patience and it was unfortunately far from possible to catch all stray animals. We also found the daily talks and explanations with the population, which often had no understanding for the necessity of the castrations, very frustrating and grueling.
Many people in Eastern Europe are poor, their living conditions are modest and also their medical care is not comparable to ours. Although we do not understand that animals can be treated in this way, it is understandable to us to a certain extent why very little importance is attached to animal welfare by the population, politicians and also in legislation.
All the more we enjoyed each evening to return to the Donkey Valley. It is a magical place, a wonderful oasis in the middle of nature! The nightingales sing, the frogs croak, there is peace, friendliness and harmony. Living together with the team in the traditional Bulgarian stone house was also incredibly harmonious and appreciative. We cooked together every evening and exchanged ideas. It felt like we had known each other for many years. This volunteer assignment was definitely not our last....
We have the greatest respect for all the employees of the Foundation Vets in Action. They are committed to animal welfare and protection on a daily basis and are not discouraged to continue. Many thanks!
Bettina Mark & Marianne Trüb, Winterthur
From Vets in Action side, we would like to express our sincere thanks to Bettina and Marianne for their extraordinary support. Since both of them work in a medical profession and are dedicated animal lovers, their practical and solution-oriented contribution was extremely helpful and efficient for this work.
Moreover, together with our team, they worked very hard every day for 2 weeks, without a single day off, but always in a good mood. There were no language or cultural barriers, only love and generosity.
Team Vets in Action
