Over 40 million donkeys work globally, often in low-income countries where they face chronic overloading, wounds, and lack of veterinary care.
Working donkeys face lives of continuous labor with inadequate rest, nutrition, and medical care. Poorly fitted harnesses cause painful wounds; chronic lameness goes untreated. The emerging ejiao trade (donkey skin gelatin used in Chinese medicine) is driving populations toward collapse in Africa and creating acute welfare crises.