New project to improve mule welfare in Nepal

Working as part of a consortium, we have launched a pioneering project in Nepal to improve mule welfare while fostering environmental sustainability and strengthening remote communities.

Implementing a One Welfare approach, the Gallop for Good project aims to create positive and sustainable change across a wide range of intrinsically linked areas, including animal welfare, human wellbeing and environmental conservation.

The Donkey Sanctuary has a long history of working with partners in Nepal, however Gallop for Good is a first for the international animal welfare charity because of its focus on creating a replicable model of holistic and sustainable change.

Led by Aasaman Nepal, the consortium comprises several local partners, Animal Health Training and Consultancy Service (AHTCS), Preservation of Environment and Social Welfare Association of Nepal (PESWAN) and Health Concern (HC), bringing together expertise in a number of specialist fields.

Improving welfare and livelihoods

The project aims to demonstrate how improving the welfare of mules will not only enhance their health and working conditions but also strengthen the livelihoods and wellbeing of the people who rely on them.

Recent natural disasters in the region have increased the burden on mule owners and reduced their ability to care for their animals, and therefore disaster risk reduction is integral to the project.

Particularly important is the growing of plant species that provide green fodder for mules and help prevent landslides, which is hoped to create a more resilient ecosystem that benefits both mules and humans alike.

Additionally, the project will consider how diversifying mule owners’ livelihoods can lead to improvements in mule welfare, both by increasing household income, enabling owners to invest more in their animals, and by reducing the strain on the mules as the sole option for income generation.

A successful launch

The project was launched in November at a formal meeting of stakeholders, including our CEO Marianne Steele, in Nalgad, located in the western region of Jajarkot. This was followed by a series of activities including veterinary camps, school visits and community workshops.

During one such veterinary camp in the community of Tallubagar, 18 owners attended with more than 100 equines, 81 of which were mules.

Here partner vets provided free-of-charge medical assessments, treatment and advice, as well as training and advice to the local government vet and paravets.

The event was also covered by national news station Kantipur TV, who interviewed mule owners, government officials and project stakeholders.

In the community of Dalli, project partners spoke with children at the Shree Tribhuwan Higher Secondary School about a number of health and wellbeing subjects. These included precautions to take to avoid the spread of zoonotic diseases, as well as the urgent steps to take following an animal bite.

In an area prone to natural disasters, they talked with students about the environment and the dangers brought by events such as earthquakes and landslides. Delivered by a number of specialist partners, the discussion also included the importance of hygiene and concluded with a practical hand-washing session. 

Marianne Steele, said: “It was such a privilege to witness the launch of our Gallop for Good project on the ground in Nepal, and to see the immediate benefits to the mules and their owners at the veterinary camp.”

Working mules make a vital contribution to the livelihoods of communities in Jajarkot, and many other regions of Nepal, where they are used to carry essential goods and materials across difficult terrain.

 They also play a critical role in disaster recovery, rescue operations, the delivery of medical supplies in the immediate aftermath of an event, and rebuilding and agricultural rehabilitation in the long-term.

Marianne concluded: “Through this project, The Donkey Sanctuary aims to demonstrate how the one welfare approach creates sustainable change for working mules, strengthening livelihoods and supporting environmental conservation.”