Donkey sanctuaries provide refuge for neglected, abused, and working donkeys globally, combining direct welfare work with community education and veterinary training programmes.
Donkey sanctuaries address welfare problems at both ends of the development spectrum: in high-income countries, neglected companion donkeys and those abandoned after owners cannot manage their needs; in low-income countries, working donkeys suffering from wounds, overwork, and lack of veterinary care. The sanctuary model combines direct animal care with the systemic work of training community veterinarians, improving harness design, and advocating for policy changes that protect working animals. Both approaches are essential to meaningful improvement in donkey welfare globally.