Working donkeys in Latin America provide essential services to rural communities while facing significant welfare challenges.
Working donkeys in Latin America are essential to the livelihoods of rural families who rely on them for transport, agricultural work, and water carrying. Their welfare is often poor — harness wounds, hoof problems, overwork, and inadequate nutrition are endemic. Crucially, the families who depend on these animals often want to care for them well but lack knowledge and veterinary access. Community-based welfare programs that provide both veterinary services and education, and that link welfare to productivity outcomes, have demonstrated success in improving donkey welfare in these contexts.