Over 40 million donkeys work in low-income countries, often under conditions that cause chronic pain and suffering. Improving donkey welfare is both an animal welfare and human development priority.
Working donkey welfare represents one of the most tractable large-scale welfare improvement opportunities in the world. The animals are clearly sentient, their suffering is demonstrably high, the interventions needed are known and relatively inexpensive (basic veterinary care, hoof trimming, appropriate harness fitting), and improvement directly benefits the human families who depend on these animals for their livelihoods. Organizations like the Brooke and SPANA have demonstrated that community-based donkey welfare programs achieve lasting improvements across hundreds of thousands of animals. The welfare case is amplified by the growing ejiao skin trade threat which is driving donkey theft, population collapse, and community livelihood destruction across multiple countries.