5 Freedoms - Animal Care in Egypt (ACE)

There are 5 freedoms that every animal deserves -

1 - Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition.

2 - Freedom from discomfort.

3 - Freedom from pain, injury and disease.

4 -Freedom to express normal behaviour.

5 -Freedom from fear and distress.

For over thirty years Ace has been in Egypt helping the local animals when they need it most, campaigning for animals to have their 5 freedoms. This is alongside preventative treatments and education, delivering a long-term impact on the welfare of working animals and the people who depend on them so greatly for their livelihoods. These hard-working animals often lack the most basic veterinary care. Many are neglected or mistreated, not through malice, but due to lack of understanding or provisions.

The dedicated team of vets treat and saves the lives of thousands of animals all year round. They have a walk-in clinic, a hospital to perform crucial surgeries and 25 stables that allow the animals to rest from their working lives where they can recover. They closely monitor them, provide regular treatments and ensure their progress back to health.

I stayed at ACE for just over a week. During that time, I witnessed some of the most horrendous animal cruelty and neglect I had ever seen however I also witnessed the tireless committed work that the staff did within the local community of Luxor. The compassion and love for the animals from the staff at ACE were so inspiring.

Personally, the whole experience was an emotional roller coaster of anguish and disbelief with a mix of joy and humility. I visited at a time when the political climate in Egypt was unstable and animal neglect was high along with a silent, unspoken knowledge that rabies was very much present within Egypt which was dealt with on a regular basis by the staff (which I saw first hand). For many years I have not wanted to show my work from this collection as it has so much raw emotion in the photographs, but I now feel that this is the right time for this body of work. Some of the images are hard to see yet this is what the staff at ACE and indeed many animal welfare charities have to deal with on a daily basis.

This world needs more compassionate people to help stop the negate and cruelty of animals worldwide. For more information about ACE, see their website.

This work was donated to ACE and is not for sale. If you own an equine charity and wish to work with me on a campaign to promote and help your cause please get in touch.