Donkeys are among the world's most numerous and most overlooked working animals. Their unique physiology, psychology, and stoic nature make them particularly vulnerable to unrecognized suffering.
Donkey welfare is a global crisis that receives a fraction of the attention given to horses or companion animals. In developing world contexts, working donkeys experience overloading, wounds from poorly fitted tack, lack of veterinary care, and often inadequate water and food. Their stoic nature means suffering goes unrecognized - a donkey standing quietly with a wound or lameness may be in significant pain. In Western countries, donkeys kept as companions often suffer from obesity and laminitis when fed like horses. The challenge of donkey welfare is that addressing it requires both education and economic development - improving the welfare of animals who support the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people.