Hoof disease is among the most common and painful conditions affecting working donkeys globally, causing preventable suffering through lameness and impaired mobility.
Hoof disease in working donkeys causes chronic and often severe lameness - an animal that must carry loads and work daily while experiencing foot pain undergoes sustained suffering with no relief. Unlike horses in high-income contexts where lameness triggers immediate veterinary attention, working donkeys in low-resource settings often have no such safety net. The stoic nature of donkeys means obvious lameness may develop only when pain has been significant for some time. Simple interventions - regular trimming, thrush treatment with readily available materials, and basic farriery knowledge - can prevent most serious hoof disease and represent high-impact, low-cost welfare improvements.