An estimated 100 million donkeys, mules, and horses provide essential transport and agricultural work in low-income countries, often under severe welfare deprivation.
Working equid welfare in developing countries is both a welfare emergency and a development issue. These animals are the tractors, taxis, and trucks of rural communities with limited mechanized alternatives — their welfare directly affects the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people. The welfare problems are predictable and preventable: harness wounds from ill-fitting equipment, overloading beyond animal capacity, dehydration during long working days, and complete absence of veterinary care. Organizations providing mobile veterinary services and owner education demonstrate that welfare improvements are achievable and economically beneficial — healthy animals work better and longer. This alignment of welfare and economic interest is a powerful driver of change.