Donkeys serve as working animals for millions of people in developing countries. Their welfare is often severely compromised, with organisations like the Donkey Sanctuary and SPANA working to address critical needs.
Working donkeys in lower-income countries face welfare challenges that are as severe as any in the animal welfare landscape: excessive loading, inadequate water and nutrition, wounds from ill-fitting harness left untreated, and overwork without rest. These animals are essential to the livelihoods of millions of families, creating a complex welfare situation where improving donkey welfare also improves human welfare — better-maintained working animals are more productive and last longer. Organisations working in this space recognise that welfare improvement requires simultaneous investment in owner education, access to veterinary care, appropriate equipment, and economic alternatives to overwork.