An estimated 40 million working donkeys provide essential labor in low-income countries, often under conditions that cause chronic pain and shortened lives.
Working donkeys occupy a unique position in global animal welfare — they are simultaneously vital economic assets for poor families and chronically suffering animals. Their welfare improvement is not in competition with poverty alleviation but directly supports it: a healthy donkey with a well-fitting harness, adequate water, and basic veterinary care works more productively, lives longer, and earns more for its owner. The welfare challenges are often addressable through low-cost interventions: proper harness fitting, education about adequate rest and water, basic hoof care, and access to affordable veterinary treatment. Organizations working in this space demonstrate that animal welfare improvement and development goals are mutually reinforcing, not competing priorities.