Donkeys provide essential working animal services for hundreds of millions of people in low-income countries but receive minimal veterinary care and face severe welfare challenges.
Working donkey welfare is simultaneously a poverty issue and an animal welfare issue. Donkeys that are too ill or injured to work create economic hardship for the families that depend on them. Improving donkey welfare through better harness fit, wound treatment, nutrition, and basic veterinary care improves both animal welfare and the economic resilience of low-income households. Organizations like The Donkey Sanctuary and SPANA work at the community level, providing mobile veterinary services and owner education that produce measurable welfare improvements. The integration of welfare improvement with livelihood support is essential for sustainable impact in these contexts.