CARIO: Equine welfare in Egypt is a contentious subject. Many living outside of Egypt will see pictures posted by one animal charity or the next, and remark with horror the condition that many of the horses are kept in. It was the continued abuse and neglect of equines in Egypt, the lack of organizations dedicated solely to equine rehabilitation, and the mass starvation crisis prompted by the January 25th Revolution that saw the birth of the Continental Rescue and Rehab. Based in Hurghada on the Red Sea, the Continental Rescue and Rehab has a very clear mission statement, “to rescue, rehabilitate, and eventually re-home horses in desperate need throughout Egypt.” Their work began in October of 2011, with a single horse, Cleo. She came to the Continental emaciated and with a sight commonly seen in Pyramid horses, horrific wounds on her back. Cleo was still being ridden despite her condition, and it was obvious that an immediate rescue was needed. She has since been adopted in Hurghada. The Continental Rescue and Rehab was started by Susan Richards-Benson, Claire Dunkerley, and Mohammed Ramadan, and was officially registered as Hurghada Charity 310 on March 29, 2012. The scope of their work grew after Cleo was rescued, and they gradually drew the attention of animal activists around the world through the Facebook page. Approximately one month after their first rescue, Susan and Claire again stepped in to help with 3 more horses in critical condition. Cinderella, Rocky, and Ali Baba were all rescued from Giza pyramids area, and were suffering from a myriad of problems. It was the rescue of the three horses in November that put the Continental Rescue and Rehab on the map as a charity that will do their utmost to step in and help horses in critical need in Egypt. In December, they were called on by animal activists online to help with a little horse that was on death's door. Now known as Chili, he is a testament to what time, patience and a little bit of knowledge will do in giving a horse a second chance at life. Chili's progress was documented on the Continental's Facebook page, with hundreds of fans logging in daily to check for any updates. Chili is now well on his way to a full recovery, and has a quiet retirement ahead of them. Two more horses have since been given a second chance at life, Sheba and Kiwi, and the Continental Rescue and Rehab Team show no signs of slowing down. Only last week were they visited by the Kiwi Care Team, a group of vets and equine specialists from New Zealand who came to Egypt with the help of the Egyptian Society for Animal Friends (ESAF) to help improve equine welfare here. As for plans for the future, the Continental Rescue and Rehab hope to be able to launch an equine centre based out of Hurghada. They continue to build rapport with charities both locally and abroad to ensure that there is a combined effort to give animal and equine rights in Egypt the over-haul it so desperately needs. For more information and to track the progress of the Continental's rescues yourself, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ContinentalRescue.
** Susan Richards-Benson is a journalist who has been living and working in Egypt for the past 5 years. An avid animal activist and horse enthusiast, she has been riding since the age of 8, and working with animal and equine charities since 2010.
