Research presented to African leaders finds almost half (41%) of surveyed donkey owners have experienced donkey theft, as demand for traditional medicine drives deadly trade
June 26th, 2025 – International animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary, has presented stark new evidence revealing the devastating impact China’s demand for donkey skins is having on Africa’s women and children, at the second Pan-African Donkey Conference (PADCo) in Cote D’Ivoire on 26 and 27 June 2025.
Figures published by the charity show at least 5.9 million donkeys are slaughtered for their skin every year to make ejiao, a Traditional Chinese Medicine made from donkey gelatine. Donkeys suffer at every stage – from being taken and transported to being cruelly slaughtered. Demand has decimated China’s own donkey population, once the biggest in the world, and now the industry is targeting countries in Africa, Asia and South America.
The new report Stolen donkeys, Stolen Futures is the first to document in detail the invisible crisis facing Africa’s women and children as a result of escalating demand for ejiao. Featuring peer-reviewed research, published today in the journal Human Animal Interaction, the report reveals donkey theft is rife in rural Kenya, with 29 out of 30 women (over 90 per cent) in one community having had their donkeys stolen.
Other findings include an average 73 per cent drop in household income following the loss of a donkey in some areas – the difference between modest survival and destitution – and firsthand accounts of the economic, physical and emotional burden of losing a donkey. The research provides strong evidence that the exploitation of Africa’s donkeys is fundamentally eroding progress toward UN Sustainable Development Goals of gender equality and no poverty.
Dr David Obiero, lead author of the research, presented the findings at PADCo – hosted by the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and supported by the International Coalition for Working Equids (ICWE), of which The Donkey Sanctuary is a founding member. The event was attended by African leaders and decision-makers, and follows the commitment in February 2024 by all Member States of the African Union to impose a moratorium on the slaughter of donkeys for their skin, and the development of a continent-wide strategy for their welfare.
“The testimonies of the women interviewed show donkeys are much more than livestock – for many, these intelligent and resilient animals are a lifeline; a co-worker and companion, often regarded as an extension of the family and described by one research participant as her ‘co-wife’. Another ranked her donkey higher than her spouse in terms of the contribution it makes to the family income and household support,” said Dr David Obiero from the Africa Centre for One Health-One Welfare Research, Innovation, and Sustainable Livelihoods at Maasai Mara University.
“When donkeys are stolen for the skin trade it brings immense suffering to our communities. A family loses its livelihood, and women are left to carry heavy burdens alone. It is heartbreaking to see how quickly our donkeys are disappearing and how deeply this loss is felt,” said Anne Odari Onditi, Treasurer of the Association of Donkey Owners in Kenya, and author of the report’s foreword.
“This latest research and the powerful story it tells evidences the devastation caused by the donkey skin trade and its disproportionate impact on women and children. We hope this report will be a call to action for governments in Africa and around the world to take decisive steps to end this human and animal welfare disaster,” said Marianne Steele, CEO of The Donkey Sanctuary.
“Time is running out for Africa’s donkeys and the women and children who rely on them most. This event, co-hosted with AU-IBAR, is a powerful opportunity for Africa’s leaders to reaffirm the landmark commitments they made at the AU Summit in 2024, and to work together on a strategy to protect one of the continent’s most precious resources. We hope all Member States will seize this chance to end this escalating human and animal welfare disaster,” said Jessica Stark, Chair of the International Coalition of Working Equids.
Ends
Notes to editor:
Link to research paper – https://we.tl/t-w8m4f9JkOS
Link to report – https://we.tl/t-uEA8BXtWHX
Further information
Key findings of research:
• Donkeys contribute between 60 and 80 per cent of household income in some African communities.
• The average drop in household income when a donkey is stolen is up to 73 per cent in some areas.
• In one region of Kenya, Lakipia, 29 out of 30 women (97 per cent) had experienced the theft of their donkey. In Narok, the figure is 63 per cent; in Siaya 29 per cent; in Nakuru 27 per cent and in Kitui 5 per cent.Videos – individual women’s stories from the research:
About the author of the research:
David Obiero Oduori is a veterinarian with 17+ years of experience in livestock development, field research, and capacity building. He holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) from the University of Nairobi, a Master’s in International Animal Health from the University of Edinburgh, and is currently pursuing his PhD in Veterinary Public Health. David has led initiatives ranging from animal welfare advocacy and development of animal protection legislations to community-based programs for working equines. As a lecturer at Maasai Mara University, he focuses on applied research, training, and community outreach while mentoring future professionals.
The new report: Stolen Donkeys, Stolen Futures
Summary of the impact of the skin trade on Africa’s women and children:
CHILDREN DENIED NUTRITION – Donkey theft sees children deprived of food and water simply to feed the ejiao industry. A woman without a donkey may be forced to leave her breastfeeding baby behind so that she can carry the load. Parents living in poverty struggle to provide food, healthcare and essential items for their children and may be forced to reduce meal sizes or to skip meals entirely.
PHYSICAL HARM – Heavy loads carried on the head or back cause physical injury and deterioration and can lead to severe musculoskeletal pain, 35 maternal and foetal health problems and psychological trauma.
CHILDREN – MOST OFTEN GIRLS – DENIED EDUCATION – Without a donkey, parents often can’t afford to pay for school fees, uniforms or supplies. They also can’t spare the labour and day-to-day survival may force them to sacrifice their children’s education. This burden disproportionately falls to girls, further embedding gender inequality and cementing them into a lifetime of poverty and disadvantage.
EMOTIONAL TRAUMA – Women often develop deep and enduring bonds with their donkeys, and many experience profound grief when their donkeys are stolen and slaughtered.
STOLEN TIME – When a donkey is stolen, what was a single trip with a donkey to collect water or supplies becomes multiple trips, and many hours, with the woman carrying the load herself.
DECLINING LIVING STANDARDS AND SANITATION – Without a donkey, families can struggle to access all the provisions they need, and, in the case of water, this can lead to health and sanitary problems in families. Basic provisions fall beyond the reach of families.
Further info:
The Donkey Sanctuary is an international animal welfare charity dedicated to improving the lives of donkeys and mules worldwide. Headquartered in Devon, UK, we provide lifelong care to over 6,000 donkeys across the UK and Europe, through our ten sanctuaries and guardian homes, and we reach about 447,00 more through our international programmes and partnerships. Our colleagues are based all over the world and we work with a global network of partners, NGOs and governments, who share our vision of a world where every donkey has a good quality of life.
Our campaign to – Stop the slaughter – end the donkey skin trade – is the single, biggest donkey protection initiative we have undertaken in over 50 years of operation.
The International Coalition for Working Equids is comprised of leading working animal NGOs Brooke, The Donkey Sanctuary, SPANA and World Horse Welfare and was established to work with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and its members to implement the WOAH Terrestrial Code Chapter 7.12 on the Welfare of Working Equids. https://www.icweworkingequids.org/
The Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is a specialized agency of the African Union Commission, dedicated to supporting and coordinating the sustainable development of Africa’s animal resources. Through its work, AU-IBAR contributes to food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability across the continent. As a continental leader in donkey preservation, AU-IBAR spearheaded the adoption of the AU Moratorium on the Slaughter of Donkeys for Their Skins, protecting these vital animals and the communities that depend on them.
AU-IBAR continues to advance strategic frameworks—such as the Pan African Strategy for the Development of Donkey Species in Africa—and champions collaborative efforts with the International Coalition for Working Equids, Regional Economic Communities, Member States and development partners to improve donkey welfare, combat illicit trade, and integrate equine protection into national and regional development agendas. Website: www.au-ibar.org & https://www.au-ibar.org/what-we-do/animal-health
