Approximately 50 million working donkeys provide livelihoods for some of the world poorest communities. Their welfare is often poor but improving through targeted international interventions.
Working donkey welfare is inseparable from the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them. An owner whose donkey is working in pain loses productivity, income, and the capital value of the animal — welfare improvement and livelihood improvement are the same intervention. The Donkey Sanctuary model of combining veterinary care with owner training and equipment improvement generates rapid welfare gains because owners are motivated. The ejiao trade represents a direct threat that bypasses this model entirely — removing animals from communities regardless of welfare implications for the humans who depend on them.