The Rose Red City...

When you mention Jordan the reaction of most people is, "Oh I would love to see Petra!" And they are justified in their response.

Petra is truly a wonder of the world and one we as Jordanians are very proud of.

On the other hand we have also received a number of concerns when talking about the working animals in Petra and we are well aware of the challenges faced by the local communities and the Park Authority.

Through a partnership with Four Paws International and the Petra Tourism and Development Regional Authority, PAF has launched a new project to assist in the rehabilitation and development of the Equine Hospital and its surrounding area in Petra as well as to provide training and awareness to the local community working with the animals.

The fist phase has now begun where we are constructing water canals which will protect the site from flash floods which cause a great deal of degradation to the site of the hospital as well as endanger the lives of the people and animals in the area. New resting areas will also be constructed so the horses and donkeys have a safe, shaded and comfortable area to rest.

Treatment and training sessions have already been conducted for the local vets and vet nurses working in Petra by visiting equine vets Dr. Thomas Stohler and Dr. Helmut Fiegel which served to highlight the main areas of concern. We have been very fortunate that the visiting doctors donated their time to be a part of this development and we aim to hold more of these training visits during phase 2 of the project, therefore supporting the local vets and building their capacity.