Donkey sanctuaries receive animals from neglect, overwork, and abandonment, providing rehabilitation that demonstrates the resilience of these often-misunderstood animals.
Donkey neglect is widespread globally partly because their stoicism allows suffering to continue undetected. Overgrown hooves cause chronic lameness. Obesity from inappropriate high-calorie feed causes laminitis. Working donkeys develop untreated sores harness wounds and exhaustion that owners fail to recognize as welfare problems. Sanctuary rehabilitation demonstrates that donkeys with severe neglect-related conditions can recover fully with appropriate veterinary care nutrition and rest.