Donkeys are disappearing from Africa from illegal skin trade for Chinese ‘medicine’

Millions of donkeys are killed every year by African traders so their skins can be used as an ingredient in a traditional Chinese medicine called ejiao.

Here’s video produced by the World Veterinary Association with The Donkey Sanctuary, revealing the terrible suffering donkeys face as a result of the trade.

WARNING: You may find scenes in the video upsetting.

What the Donkey Sanctuary is doing about this:

• In January 2017, published the Under the Skin report, alerting the world to the illegal trade.
• Worked with in-country partners to pressure authorities to stop the slaughter of donkeys for the trade.
• Commissioned investigations and gathered case studies on the donkey skin trade’s heartbreaking consequences on individuals and communities who depend on donkeys to make a living.
• Addressed parliamentarians in Brazil, Ethiopia and Nigeria, supporting efforts to protect national donkey populations.
• Work with colleagues in organizations like the Brooke, World Horse Welfare and The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad.
• Use the courts to push for action where governments will not.
• Use science to prove our concerns about biosecurity and the skin trade.
• Use satellite technology to monitor the donkey trade.
• Investigate the emerging technology of cellular agriculture and growing collagen in a laboratory artificially to produce ejiao. Such technology would halt the donkey skin trade and stop the slaughter overnight.

The Donkey Sanctuary in the UK spends 75% of its donations on helping donkeys worldwide, 25% on costs and fund-raising.

To donate to the Donkey Sanctuary, go here.

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