Today is World Donkey Day, but the sad truth is that unless we act now, in a very short time, there will be no donkeys left to celebrate. The insatiable Chinese donkey skin trade is killing donkeys faster than they can reproduce. There are only 42 million donkeys in the world and the Chinese demand is for 4.8 million every year. The Chinese use the skins to create ejiao (pronounced “uh-jee-ow”), a phony traditional medicine.
Millions of donkeys out there are at risk of abuse and being slaughtered for this horrific trade. But we provide as many donkeys around the world as we can with safety, food and care.
In the shockingly cruel donkey skin trade industry, these innocent animals are bludgeoned to death and sometimes even skinned alive.
We need to persuade governments to ban the trade. So far, Botswana, Senegal and Ethiopia have taken progressive steps to end the donkey skin trade, but many more countries in Africa still allow it. As we write this, Kenya has just lifted a ban put in place earlier and will once more allow thousands of donkeys to be killed for the trade.
Three years ago, we helped one man in South Africa in his mission to save 300 donkeys from being sold to slaughter for the trade. Since then, we have provided these donkeys with food and care. At first, we gave them safe haven at a sanctuary in the hot dry Karoo, but with so little rain and available food, we were forced to find an alternative location. Thanks to our supporters’ financial help, we recently managed to move them to a lush farm on the Garden Route in South Africa where they will be safe for the rest of their lives.
Network for Animals works to save donkeys from the donkey skin trade and from neglect and abuse in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Israel, Greece and Jordan. We work tirelessly to improve the lives of these precious and well-loved animals.
So please, on World Donkey Day, give these animals that have been so part of our daily lives since the beginning of our time, the love and support they deserve. Save a donkey today.