In June, an Egyptian tv station reports about the daily cruelty to animals at the camel market in Birqash (Egypt) and publicly denounces it. The government then intervenes for the first time: animal protection posters based on our model are hung up at the market and several people are arrested for being particularly violent with the camels. The arrests had a deterrent effect, but on their own they are not a means of making long-term improvements.
Our veterinarians, Omar and Eslam, are monitoring the situation on-site. Today, for the first time, the traders are approaching them and want to know how they can load the camels without violence. The temperature is 37 °C and Omar and Eslam have to treat some camels that are completely exhausted. Overall, the mood is tense, the workers are afraid of being photographed, but at least as long as Omar and Eslam are watching, they don't beat the camels and take our team's advice.
Now it's time for us to stay focused: we have to be on-site as often as possible so that this first spark of improvement doesn't burn out. In addition we are in contact with the ministry concerning a common animal protection project at the market.
