Donkeys working in hot climates face severe heat stress risks that their owners may not recognize. Simple, affordable interventions can prevent heat-related suffering in working donkeys worldwide.
Working donkeys in hot climates face welfare burdens that accumulate invisibly: chronic mild dehydration, heat burden from continuous work without shade, and the exhaustion of insufficient rest and recovery between work periods. Unlike acute welfare events, chronic heat stress and dehydration are normalized by owners who may not recognize their animals' needs or have the resources to address them. Simple interventions — rest breaks in shade, access to water every 2 hours during work, avoiding peak heat hours for heavy loads — require minimal financial investment but significant behavior change by owners. Community-based animal health worker programs that build owner knowledge and social norms around working animal welfare have demonstrated sustained impact on these chronic welfare problems.