Gawf- Equine visit to Lefkada
On April 27 and 28, the Lefkas Animal Welfare Society , with the co-operation of the Greek Animal Welfare Fund (GAWF), ran a 2-day programme of equine care. From early morning, the GAWF team comprising vet, Eliza Geskou from Volos and farrier, Aris Vlahakis from Crete, visited several villages of Lefkada, offering their services to donkeys and working horses free of charge. The owners of the animals had been informed of their impending visit by members of LAWS, so each village had organised a designated meeting place.The vet, who specializes in equine matters, examined the animals and gave advice to the owners and offered a teeth filing service. She explained and showed how large “spikes” grow on the teeth which cause the animals pain and make it hard for them to chew. If left untreated, these can grow so large that the animal cannot eat and could die of starvation.
The farrier examined the feet and hooves of the donkeys and horses and checked whether shoes had been properly fitted. The care of the feet is very important to their health; improperly fitted shoes can lead to bad posture and infection causing major health problems in the future. In most cases, the farrier cut and filed the hooves and carefully placed shoes. He also gave the owners useful tips and showed them the proper way to care for their animals’ feet.
In one day alone the team saw over 20 horses and donkeys in Marantohori, Aghios Petros, Poros, Nidri and Nikiana. Most of the animals seen were in good condition and their problems of a minor nature. The team thanked the people for their attitude towards them and their participation in the programme.
