Donkeys are working animals for hundreds of millions of people in low- and middle-income countries, often experiencing extreme welfare hardship from overwork, poor nutrition and inadequate veterinary care.
Donkey welfare is a critical but often invisible issue in global animal welfare. Donkeys are essential transport and working animals for some of the worlds poorest communities, creating a complex welfare context where improving donkey welfare is inseparable from improving human livelihoods. The Donkey Sanctuary has pioneered welfare-sensitive approaches that improve donkey condition while increasing productivity for owners — demonstrating that welfare and human benefit are not in conflict. The growing ejiao trade adds a new welfare crisis, with donkeys being killed for their skins globally in response to demand from traditional medicine markets.