Donkeys provide essential livelihoods for 600 million people globally but face severe welfare challenges including overloading, neglect, and skin trade pressure from Chinese hide demand.
Working donkeys are among the most welfare-neglected animals globally. Their stoic nature — they rarely vocalize pain unlike horses — means welfare problems go unrecognized by owners who lack education about donkey behavioral indicators of distress. Overloading, inadequate water and food, harness sores, and hoof neglect cause chronic pain for animals working six to seven days a week throughout their lives. The ejiao trade has reduced donkey populations in Africa, Asia, and South America as animals are slaughtered for hide exports, threatening both animal welfare and the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them.