Brooke (charity)

In 1930, while on a trip to Cairo, Egypt, Mrs. Dorothy Brooke encountered thousands of ex-cavalry horses being used as beasts of burden. She was shocked to see that these horses which had served the British army during World War I were now living a life of gruelling hardship on the streets of Cairo. In 1934, she established the Old War Horse Memorial Hospital to provide a free veterinary clinic for all the working horses and donkeys of Cairo. The original hospital which Mrs. Brooke established in Bayram ElTonsi Street, now known locally as "The Street of the English Lady," is still open and operating. ==Operations==

Brooke works across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Central America: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan and Senegal. They also have fundraising offices in the United States and the Netherlands alongside the charity headquarters in the United Kingdom. In 2016–2017, the charity reached over two million horses, donkeys and mules. For 600 million people in some of the poorest places in the world, 100 million of these animals are a vital part of communities and their best means of making a living. Healthy working horses, donkeys and mules are essential for families in many poor countries. Brooke's work focuses on developing the skills and compassion of the people who use horses, donkeys and mules in their daily lives. Brooke works with owners, communities and local governments to bring about lasting improvements to the lives of these animals. They train and support local vets, farriers, harness makers and animal traders to improve standards of care. ==Research==

Brooke's policy research allows them to make substantiated claims about the essential role of working equines in sustaining the livelihoods of their owners and the importance of their welfare for the benefit of people. Brooke's previous research reports include 'Invisible Workers', looking at the economic contribution of working donkeys, horses and mules to livelihood, and 'Voices From Women', examining women's views on the contributions of working equines to their lives. == See also ==