When Dutch veterinary assistant Joke van der Post moved to Egypt to run a shelter for donkeys and horses, she never expected to end up in jail for defending the animals she came to protect.
But after witnessing a young man brutally beating a donkey, she felt compelled to act.
Time to take matters into her own hands
Unable to ignore the violence, Joke physically intervened to stop the abuse. The confrontation was captured on video and quickly spread across social media.
Speaking with NOS, she recounted the moment that led to her arrest:
“I see a lot of animal abuse every day, this time it was a young man of 22 who was beating the donkey out of boredom.’’
Joke explained that when she asked him to stop, he responded with insults and escalated the beating.
A potential prison sentence
Joke was released after spending two nights in jail. However, she now faces a possible three-year prison sentence and deportation.
Despite the looming consequences, she remains firm in her convictions and moved by the support she has received from the online community: “If I had known this would have such an impact, I might have done it sooner.”
What do you think of Joke’s actions? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
I am proud that she defended the donkey, but she is paying a deep price. Hopefully she can face only immediate deportation . Going to prison in Egypt won’t bode well for her, since women are not respected in an Islamic country.
Well done Joke. The man’s behaviour was beyond comprehension. I felt like you completely disgusted by his actions. This woman needs an award not prison.