Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall serves as organization's president
The Brooke, an international equine charity that also helps people, has selected Lexington as the location for its base in the United States.
"We considered a number of cities for our U.S. office: Washington, D.C., Palm Beach, New York, Los Angeles, and others, but in the end, it was the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington, Kentucky, that we chose," said Petra Ingram, CEO of the Brooke.
The organization has been assisting working animals (horses, donkeys and mules) and their owners in developing countries for nearly 80 years. Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cornwall, wife of Britain's heir to the throne, Prince Charles, is the organization's president.
"Having seen for myself the wonderful work the Brooke does in their clinic in Cairo and Pakistan to help the suffering of working animals, it makes me incredibly proud to be the President of this unique charity and to follow its course with enormous interest,” said Her Royal Highness, who is currently serving her second term as president.
It is estimated that 50 million working animals are suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, malnutrition and abuse as a result of excessive workloads and limited animal health services in developing countries. They endure grueling, back-breaking labor under the harshest of physical and environmental conditions, on behalf of the working poor, whose very lives are inextricably tied to them in order to earn a living and support their families. These animals are a lifeline to countless poor communities.
The Brooke is currently working in Egypt, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nepal, Senegal, Jordan and Guatemala, and last year the Brooke reached approximately 1.1 million animals, benefitting six million people. Their goal is to double that number by 2016. To do this, the Brooke is extending its outreach into North America for awareness, partnership and support. American Friends of the Brooke, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, is poised to generate that support.
The Brooke has recently hired a Fundraising Development Manager, Cindy Rullman, who will coordinate the fundraising efforts for American Friends of the Brooke in the United States.
For more information, visit www.thebrookeusa.org or www.thebrooke.org.