Donkeys are under threat

Stand with us in the fight against the donkey skin trade.  

End the brutal slaughter

Over six million donkeys are killed for their skins every year

They’re stolen from families who depend on them, smuggled across borders and brutally slaughtered to make ejiao, an ingredient used in cosmetics, teas, snacks and beauty supplements.

The donkey skin trade is the global trade in donkey skins, driven by demand for ejiao, a gelatine made by boiling donkey skins and used in some traditional medicines, foods, drinks and beauty products.

Every year, around six million donkeys are taken from their families and slaughtered for their skins.

Ejiao is claimed to improve circulation and reduce signs of ageing, but there is no strong scientific evidence to support these claims.

As demand rises, donkey populations around the world are being devastated. Donkeys may be stolen or families may be pressured into selling them. Many endure long journeys without enough food, water or rest before being slaughtered.

The numbers are truly staggering.

China's donkey population has plummeted by 80% from 1990 to 2018. In Tanzania, the donkey population has halved since 2016.

Botswana has seen a devastating 60% loss of its donkeys in just five years and Burkina Faso lost 45,000 donkeys in just six months.

Illegal theft, smuggling, and barbaric slaughter practices not only cause unimaginable suffering to innocent donkeys but also threaten the economic stability of communities that rely on them.

We have tirelessly worked to influence a ban on this trade in Africa, with the potential to protect nearly 32 million donkeys.

Our efforts have led to bans in Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Kenya, and we are striving to end the trade for good.

Despite our progress, illegal activities like bush slaughter and smuggling continue, often in the shadows.

We are also campaigning for major retailers to stop selling donkey skin products, including calling on Amazon UK to remove products containing ejiao from its marketplace.

Our mission is to improve the welfare of working donkeys and put an end to the inhumane and cruel donkey skin trade. Together, we can stand up and make a difference for donkeys and the communities that depend on them.

Donkeys are under threat

Over six million donkeys are killed for their skins every year

What is the donkey skin trade?

Shocking statistics

Our efforts so far

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