Donkeys are among the most used and least protected working animals globally. Over 40 million donkeys provide essential services to communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Working donkey welfare represents a convergence of animal welfare and human poverty — the animals most vulnerable to overwork and neglect are often owned by families with the fewest resources for veterinary care and feed. Welfare problems are typically not malicious but reflect lack of knowledge and resources. Harness sores cause chronic pain from infected wounds; overloaded donkeys suffer musculoskeletal damage; thirst and hunger affect working capacity and wellbeing. The emerging donkey skin trade — harvesting hides for ejiao gelatin used in traditional Chinese medicine — has caused dramatic population collapses in some African countries, creating additional acute welfare crises through unregulated slaughter.