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Feelgood Stories - Animal Related Only

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Isaac soloman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Isaac soloman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2018 at 11:59pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jun 2018 at 9:40pm
I think this is worthy of a mention for the humungous work they do treating these horses, camels, donkeys etc.& educating the people in the process Smile
They get a heap of newbies who can't understand why the animals aren't fat, shiny & get prompt vet. treatment. Heck, they can even feed their families & don't even mention health care for them so what hope the horses?

I see from the comments that we have a lot of new followers, here is a very short description of our work.

Since we have many new people coming to the page these days, here is some very short info about the horses we work with.

The "pyramid horses" and camels are being used to take tourists and local Egyptians on rides around the pyramids and the surrounding desert. Horses and donkeys are also used as transport for locals and to pull carts selling various produce. Stables here are small and narrow and often filled with sand, so donkeys are used for both cleaning out manure and to bring clean sand inside.

Many of the pyramid horses are in poor condition, usually caused by a combination of reasons. The uprising in 2011 caused a dramatic drop in tourism, and thus affected the income of local horse owners. But the revolution in 2011 and then the contra-revolution in 2013 are only parts of a large, complex puzzle.

Most of the owners we work with survive on low incomes and many are illiterate. In addition to caring for their own family they often support other relatives as well. Many have dropped out of school early to work for their family – there are lots of children selling souvenirs at the pyramids and many children work with horses as well. Like people, most horses start working at an early age. They are working animals, not pets.

The low-income owners can only afford to buy the cheapest horses. These are horses that are underweight, injured and/or sick. It’s not uncommon for sellers to give the horse a good dose of bute so that the buyer will think it’s reasonably sound. Many pay a down payment for a horse that is already in poor condition, and are then forced to work that horse to be able to pay off installments. A low income means that owners cannot afford the good, experienced vets and farriers, and although medication is sold over the counter, they can’t afford to buy it.

While there are some excellent vets in Egypt, people generally have poor knowledge of horses. Living in a desert country no one has seen horses grazing naturally, and hard feed like corn, barley and fava beans is considered the best feed. Owners that can’t afford much hard feed usually feed clover or corngrass (depending on the season), chaff and some corn. Hay is rarely sold locally. Feeding so much grain causes colic, ulcers and laminitis, but knowledge about laminitis is minimal. After nearly six years we are still struggling to make people understand that they must be careful with grain. This goes hand in hand with little awareness about healthy eating habits for humans; Egyptians consume a lot of oil and sugar and a large part of the population struggles with overweight and diabetes.

Cairo is a city of nearly 20 million people, and like people’s houses, most stables in our area are small and quite cramped. The working horses generally don’t have their own boxes, but are tied up in rows. We see a lot of leg wounds caused by ropes, or other injuries like head wounds after horses have laid down and gotten stuck. Bite wounds are also common since so many horses live in close proximity to each other.

Babesiosis, a tick-borne disease, is very common due to enormous amounts of ticks, especially in summer. Clinical signs range from fever, anorexia and lethargy to colic, haemoglobinuria and jaundice. Many horses end up in a downwards spiral of babesiosis – weight loss – anaemia and liver problems – babesiosis again – more weight loss and so on. We have treated many severely emaciated horses whose blood tests show chronic anaemia and poorly functioning livers. Even for us, with a brilliant vet, IV fluids, supplements and lots of varied feed, it can be very difficult to put weight on these horses. For an owner with barely any money it’s impossible.

Much of the treatment is considered outdated in Western countries, or it’s based on wives’ tales and superstition. Like in many other cultures, Egyptians believe that the “evil eye”, or the “eye of the envious”, can cause illness and death.

Two methods that are widely used are linefiring and strings, called the “fatla” in Arabic. Many of you will know about linefiring from the racing industry. Here in Egypt the firing is a lot cruder and often done in the wrong area, without sedation. It is done by heating up wire or a rod of iron that then burns the horse. Typical cases are horses with tendon- and joint problems, but it can also be done for other reasons. Horses with high fever can be burned on their necks, as it’s believed that this will stop the fever from “reaching the head”, particularly in tetanus cases. Horses with poor appetite or mares that don’t get pregnant can be burned on, or get strings in their bellies.

One of our rescues had an abscess in his hoof that was “treated” by burning large holes around the coronary band. Horses with skin allergies can have cuts made in their ears as it’s believed that this will get rid of the “dirty blood”.

​The “fatla” is a string that is threaded through the skin over the injured area. A horse with shoulder lameness can have one or several strings through his shoulder, a horse with a pelvic fracture might have strings through various places in his hindquarters. The strings are believed to “draw out infection” but unlike surgical drains they are not used in abscesses or hematomas, they are used in places where there is no accumulated pus or fluids and therefore they have no use. But horses undergoing “string treatment” are often allowed to rest, and will therefore improve.
It is important to keep in mind that these methods are not developed to intentionally harm the horses, they are used on humans as well. One owner we work with had back problems, and had his back linefired by Bedouins. Our stable manager’s mother used to suffer from migraines and the doctor would use a razor blade to cut lots of tiny cuts into her forehead, believing – like the above-mentioned allergy example- that this would clear out “dirty blood”.

​The PFK patients that are too injured to have any quality of life are humanely euthanised. These horses are usually purchased by us for market price but more and more owners let us do it without asking for money. Animals that are too injured to work, but that can live happily as pets, are usually bought by us and retired.

PFK offers all treatment free of charge, whether that is feeding a horse for two months, x-rays, wound care, farrier work or surgeries. Most important of all, we educate. We can’t change the financial situation in Egypt, but we can help the owners to better understand their animals' needs.

Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jun 2018 at 9:48pm
Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jun 2018 at 9:49pm
Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jun 2018 at 9:50pm
Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jun 2018 at 9:50pm
Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acacia alba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jun 2018 at 11:19pm
Our pampered horses dont know how well off they are, do they.   I have followed this org on and off for ages now.  How they do what they do is beyond me. 
animals before people.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ThreeBears Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2018 at 2:10am
I thought this was for "feelgood" animal related material ...
 
Let's get back on track -
 
Noodle muncher
 
 
On the buses
 
 
And this one for Gay and AA - Not animals, still nature, it will give you a laugh ladies
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2018 at 10:19am
I posted above because of the great work being done to help these animals & people which to my mind is 'feelgood' Smile

I too got repeated Internal Error notices too acacia, we'll see if this works for you Confused

  In 2015 a stray Beagle was found in the woods of Kentucky...
The Beagle was found by a good samaritan and taken to the local shelter...
No one adopted the Beagle who, fortunately, was about to get some help from a rescue organization, "A Dog's Dream Rescue"...
The rescue group was contacted by the shelter, who had worked with them before, and they agreed to take him...to Canada...
Rescuers from "A Dog's Dream Rescue" transported the Beagle the 500 miles from Kentucky...
At an adoption event, at "Pet Valu" in Milton, Ontario, a woman who was working in Canada saw the Beagle, fell in love and adopted him...
The woman named the Beagle... "Guy"...
That woman was an actress from the TV series "Suits"... Meghan Markle...
Three years later Meghan Markle would marry Prince Harry...
Guy was photographed riding in a car the day before the wedding with his new friend, The Queen of England...
Guy, the abandoned beagle from Kentucky, now happily lives like royalty... at Kensington Palace.
Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2018 at 11:54am
One of the reasons I've never owned a horse - not that I'd love to do so - is that I know the upkeep is very high.  I know I don't have the resources available to cover all the costs so steer clear and love to here all the success others have.  I know its difficult in other countries and they live very hand to mouth themselves.  That can happen in Australia too especially during droughts in the country.  But I often wonder when watching TV how if in Iran they can have water from the mountains to have lush gardens etc then why can't we do the same with the flooding rains in Queensland.  Can't we invest in our farmlands to make sure our farmers livelihoods are safe and our food sources don't dry up?  Are we so poor in imagination that we can't solve the problems of our eternal droughts and flooding rains.  We get both and our animal friends would benefit also if we solved the problem.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acacia alba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2018 at 12:25pm
Not forgeting bushfires, Furious. 
Thanks Gay, it just would not copy/paste for me.
animals before people.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acacia alba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2018 at 12:28pm
Yep, 3Bs,,,,beautiful orchids indeed. LOL Can you find the vid of the animals dressed in their clobber around the christmas table ? I used to have it, but must have deleted it when I had to get this new puter ?  Its a classic .
animals before people.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ThreeBears Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jun 2018 at 3:14am
I'll have a look AA.
 
In the meantime .... Who? Who? Who me?
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acacia alba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jun 2018 at 1:20pm
Oh I luuuuuuuuuuve owls.  We have a family around us and one left me an amazing beautiful feather on the front step the other week.  He also picked up my small green ceramic frog from the pot plant, and promptly dropped and broke it when he twigged it was a fake.LOL
animals before people.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acacia alba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 12:36am
Need some more,,,3 Bs.
animals before people.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Passing Through Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 7:09am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ThreeBears Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 12:05pm
There you go the search and paste expert is quicker than me. Thumbs Up
 
Softly does it ......
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote acacia alba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 4:04pm
Thanks PT.   Whoever does those adds is a very clever person.   Its so cleverly done .
animals before people.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 4:23pm
There is a storm here and daughters dog is under my desk.  Only trouble is the last thunder clap was overhead and I jumped a mile.  Don't know if I'm looking after her or the other way around.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carioca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 4:36pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote ThreeBears Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jun 2018 at 5:35pm
Our neighbour has PTSD and a stress pup. I'd say it's  looking after you Furi ....
 
And here we go again ..... Pat the nice birdie
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ThreeBears Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jun 2018 at 12:02pm
Ladies of a certain age should stick to small dogs ....
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ThreeBears Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jun 2018 at 9:17pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ThreeBears Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jun 2018 at 1:09am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Passing Through Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jun 2018 at 6:24pm
When your friends invite you for dinner but don't warn you that the restaurant is vegetarian


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ThreeBears Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jun 2018 at 11:19am
What do you give to someone who says they're Vegan when you invite them round for dinner?
 
 
The wrong address.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Passing Through Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jun 2018 at 11:23am
Troll away
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acacia alba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jun 2018 at 2:01pm
Golly, I reckon a vegan would make for a great dinner guest !    Just slap  a salad in front of them.   Too easy !!Thumbs Up
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote ThreeBears Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jun 2018 at 2:51pm
Troll away
You really are sick and self deluded. Post has nothing to do with you it's a family joke. Stop infecting threads with your bile.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djebel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jun 2018 at 2:04am
reductio ad absurdum
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