Approximately 40 million donkeys worldwide work as draft animals in developing countries, often in conditions that cause chronic pain, injury, and exhaustion.
Working donkey welfare suffers from a combination of poverty, lack of veterinary access, and cultural attitudes that minimize donkey pain. Common problems include raw wounds from abrasive or ill-fitting tack, hoof neglect leading to chronic lameness, malnutrition, overloading, and overwork in extreme temperatures. Donkeys rely on humans entirely for their welfare, yet the families who depend on them often lack resources for veterinary care. Context-appropriate interventions — affordable tack fitting, basic hoof care, and workload education — can dramatically reduce suffering at low cost.