Addressing the welfare challenges facing working donkeys in low- and middle-income countries.
Working donkeys in low-income countries are frequently overworked, poorly fed, and denied basic veterinary care, yet they are often essential to the livelihoods of the families that depend on them. Improving their welfare requires approaches that recognize both the economic constraints of owners and the genuine suffering of the animals. Community-based programmes that train owners in basic donkey care, provide access to veterinary services, and improve harness design have demonstrated measurable welfare improvements at scale without imposing unrealistic financial burdens on already-vulnerable communities.