A few children were on their way to the clinic for help with their donkey when they noticed another donkey with a small wound on his back.

Knowing the clinic would help, they untied him and brought him along, too. The problem turned out to be a thistle, and after removing it and cleaning the area, clinic staff made sure to praise the children for taking notice and promptly bringing the donkey in for help.

Many children work with donkeys and other animals at Petra, and it’s not uncommon to spot them hitting animals, pushing them off cliffs, and committing other acts of wanton cruelty—all of which make clinic staff even more determined to teach these children the values of compassionate handling and humane treatment every chance they get.