An estimated 40 million donkeys provide essential work in developing countries. Their welfare is chronically compromised by overloading, inadequate rest, poor hoof care, and heat stress.
Working donkey welfare in developing country contexts involves welfare challenges that exist within systems of genuine human poverty and dependence. Families whose livelihoods depend entirely on a working donkey may not have the economic resources to provide adequate veterinary care, proper nutrition, or appropriate rest periods. However, poor donkey welfare also compromises the economic utility of the animal - a lame donkey with harness wounds cannot work effectively and may die young, destroying the family's economic asset. The welfare case and the economic case for better donkey care are aligned. Community-based programs that provide accessible veterinary services, harness fitting training, and welfare education have demonstrated that welfare improvements can be achieved even in resource-limited contexts.