Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land
Encyclopedia
Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land (SHADH) is a British
charity
that cares for working and abandoned donkey
s in Israel
and the Palestinian Territories
.
The charity was set up in 2000 by Englishwoman Lucy Fensom, who had been working for some years as a volunteer at an animal shelter in Jerusalem and who became aware of the many hundreds of sick, unwanted and abused donkeys in the region.
The organization runs a 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) donkey sanctuary near the Israeli town of Netanya
. In the summer of 2011, SHADH reported being home to more than 150 donkeys.
Safe Haven also runs a programme of free veterinary clinics for working donkeys, mule
s and horse
s on both sides of the Palestinian border. The team regularly visits towns and villages where they offer free veterinary care, advice on tooth and hoof care, harnessing and education and support for the owners.
In April 2011 the charity opened its first permanent clinic in the Palestinian town of Qalqilya, open 7 days a week in a refurbished garage building and is now treating up to 200 working animals a week. The Clinic's first course for local Farriers was held in June and further courses are planned.
The charity's patrons include broadcaster Des Lynam, actor Anthony Head
, psychic Uri Geller
, author and journalist Julie Burchill
and former MP and author Ann Widdecombe
. A press release from Animal Friends Insurance reports that company's £1,000 donation each month towards the running cost of the new clinic.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
that cares for working and abandoned donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
s in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the Palestinian Territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
.
The charity was set up in 2000 by Englishwoman Lucy Fensom, who had been working for some years as a volunteer at an animal shelter in Jerusalem and who became aware of the many hundreds of sick, unwanted and abused donkeys in the region.
The organization runs a 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) donkey sanctuary near the Israeli town of Netanya
Netanya
Netanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
. In the summer of 2011, SHADH reported being home to more than 150 donkeys.
Safe Haven also runs a programme of free veterinary clinics for working donkeys, mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
s and horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s on both sides of the Palestinian border. The team regularly visits towns and villages where they offer free veterinary care, advice on tooth and hoof care, harnessing and education and support for the owners.
In April 2011 the charity opened its first permanent clinic in the Palestinian town of Qalqilya, open 7 days a week in a refurbished garage building and is now treating up to 200 working animals a week. The Clinic's first course for local Farriers was held in June and further courses are planned.
The charity's patrons include broadcaster Des Lynam, actor Anthony Head
Anthony Head
Anthony Stewart Head , usually credited as Anthony Head, is an English actor and musician. He rose to fame in the UK following his role in television advertisements for Nescafé Gold Blend , and is known for his roles as Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Uther Pendragon in...
, psychic Uri Geller
Uri Geller
Uri Geller is a self-proclaimed psychic known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has been accused of using simple conjuring tricks to achieve the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy...
, author and journalist Julie Burchill
Julie Burchill
Julie Burchill is an English writer and journalist. Beginning as a writer for the New Musical Express at the age of 17, she has written for newspapers such as The Sunday Times and The Guardian. She is a self-declared "militant feminist". She has several times been involved in legal action...
and former MP and author Ann Widdecombe
Ann Widdecombe
Ann Noreen Widdecombe is a former British Conservative Party politician and has been a novelist since 2000. She is a Privy Councillor and was the Member of Parliament for Maidstone from 1987 to 1997 and for Maidstone and The Weald from 1997 to 2010. She was a social conservative and a member of...
. A press release from Animal Friends Insurance reports that company's £1,000 donation each month towards the running cost of the new clinic.