WHEN DONKEYS BITE BACK
Goat rescue ends in donkey bite for 11-yearold boy
Attempting to rescue a goat, an 11-year-old schoolboy was rewarded for his bravery with a nasty bite to the arm by an angry donkey.
The bizarre animal attack played out at Nxamasere village on Monday, with the donkey collapsing and dying soon after his mid-morning mouthful.
Confirming the incident, Shakawe Station Commander, Keitshokile Kebodiretswe, told The Voice the child, a Standard 5 student, is currently recovering at home.
“The boys left their house to go and buy something from a nearby restaurant. On the way, they found a donkey attacking and biting a goat and they tried to scare it off in order to save the goat. However, the donkey turned its attack on the boys and caught one of them with its teeth on the right arm,” explained Kebodiretswe in an interview on Wednesday.
The boy was then rushed to the village’s health post, where he was treated and discharged.
“The donkey was forced into a kraal and veterinary officers were called to the scene. However, before they arrived, the animal collapsed and died,” continued the Superintendent.
SAMPLES
Samples have been taken to Gaborone for laboratory tests to determine the cause of the donkey’s aggressive behaviour and sudden death.
As a precaution, the bitten boy is receiving treatment for possible rabies exposure.
Rabies, a disease that causes madness and aggression in animals, has been reported in parts of Ngamiland. It was predominantly found in dogs and goats in villages near the Okavango Delta. In recent months, cases were reported in Maun, Chanoga, Gu mare, Semboyo, Tsau and Kareng.
In January last year, Ngami District Health Management issued an alert on a rabies outbreak, which at the time had begun infecting and killing people in the district.
In September of the same year, another outbreak was recorded in Maun, this time among dogs and cats with Boseja, Disaneng, Botshabelo, Matlapana and Xhabara wards identified as hot spots.
Dr Odirile Thololwane of Veterinary Services, now transferred to Foot and Mouth department, attributed last year’s outbreak to the 2019 drought that forced domestic animals to mix and share pastures and drinking holes with wild animals that carry the virus, including jackals.