An estimated 40 million donkeys worldwide provide essential transport and labor for the poorest communities, often in conditions causing chronic suffering.
The welfare of working donkeys is closely tied to the livelihoods of some of the world's most vulnerable people. Improving donkey welfare requires community education, access to veterinary care, and better equipment — not simply removing animals from communities that depend on them. The ejiao trade is driving rapid population collapse in some African and Asian countries with severe consequences for rural livelihoods.