Approximately 40 million working donkeys support communities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Their welfare is often neglected despite their economic importance.
Working donkeys are invisible in global animal welfare debates despite their enormous numbers and the suffering many endure. In communities that depend on donkeys for water hauling, agricultural work, and transport, animals are often worked until death with no veterinary care. Harness sores, lameness, dental disease, and dehydration are common. The solution is not removal of donkeys from working roles but education and support for owners to provide adequate feed, water, rest, veterinary care, and appropriate workloads — all of which protect both animal welfare and the community economies that depend on them.