Over 40 million donkeys worldwide provide essential work for communities in developing countries, and their welfare is a critical but often overlooked dimension of both animal and human wellbeing.
Working donkey welfare sits at the intersection of animal welfare and human development. In many communities, a donkey's productive capacity is directly tied to family livelihoods — sick or injured donkeys mean lost income and food insecurity. This creates both a welfare problem and a development opportunity: improving donkey welfare improves community wellbeing. Organizations working with working animals have demonstrated that simple interventions — training in harness fitting, wound care, and body condition scoring — dramatically improve both donkey welfare and longevity, benefiting both animals and the families who depend on them.