Donkeys face severe welfare challenges in developing countries where they serve as working animals with inadequate veterinary care and rest.
Working donkeys in developing countries are often invisible in animal welfare discussions, yet represent one of the largest populations of suffering working animals globally. They carry heavy loads, work long hours in extreme temperatures, receive inadequate food and water, and rarely receive veterinary treatment for injuries and disease. The growing demand for ejiao (traditional Chinese medicine made from donkey hide) has caused global donkey population declines and welfare crises in countries where donkeys are being killed for their hides rather than used as working animals.