An estimated 50 million donkeys work as beasts of burden globally, predominantly in developing countries. Their welfare is often severely compromised by overloading, inadequate veterinary care and poor conditions.
Working donkeys in low-income countries experience chronic welfare problems that reflect their owners' own poverty and limited resources. Harness injuries from ill-fitting or improvised equipment cause wounds that become infected and progressively worse without veterinary treatment. Overloading causes musculoskeletal pain and exhaustion. Inadequate water in hot climates causes dehydration that impairs performance and welfare. The economic dependence of families on their working animals creates a welfare paradox - owners recognize their animals' suffering but lack resources to address it. Community education programs combined with access to basic veterinary care and appropriate equipment have demonstrated that relatively modest interventions can dramatically improve welfare for working donkeys and the families that depend on them.