An estimated 40 million donkeys work in low- and middle-income countries, often in conditions causing significant suffering. Improving their welfare benefits both animals and dependent communities.
Working donkeys in LMICs bear extraordinary burdens in challenging conditions, often without adequate veterinary care, appropriate harness fitting, or rest. They may suffer from harness sores, hoof overgrowth, respiratory disease, parasite burden, and dehydration. Their welfare is inseparable from the welfare of the communities who depend on them: a sick or dead working animal means lost income and food insecurity. Welfare improvement programmes that provide veterinary services, owner education, and harness fitting assistance deliver benefits for animals and humans simultaneously, making this a high-impact area for welfare investment.