Donkeys take on the heavy burden of carrying supplies, water and firewood for their owners in many countries. The Donkey SanctuaryA report on the links between animal welfare, the environment and sustainable development has been commissioned by the United Nations.
A motion to The UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), which was drafted in collaboration by a group of animal welfare groups, including The Donkey Sanctuary was submitted by several African governments. The motion was then approved unanimously by all 193 governments who make up the UNEA.
The UNEP (UN Environmental Programme), FAO (UN Food & Agriculture Organisation), WHO, OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health), and the high-level expert panel for One Health will collaborate to produce the report.
The initiative is expected to improve the value of working horses and raise global welfare standards for humans and animals in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These goals include clean water and good health for all.
The Donkey Sanctuary’s Director of Advocacy and Campaigns, Ian Cawsey, said it was a great result for donkeys and mules everywhere, as well as for other animals and humans alike.
When we work together, the international animal welfare industry can sometimes feel like a close-knit family. While there is still much work to be done, the urgent need to take action to find solutions is evident. This is a great opportunity to build integrated solutions the world desperately needs, Cawsey said
For too long issues have been considered in isolation when the combination of reckless human and animal interaction, unsustainable living and the exploitation of the environment is leading to biosecurity risks creating a dangerous future for us all.
Cawsey pointed out that more than 50 million mules and donkeys were supporting communities around the world. They contribute to sustainable living, provide clean water and aid in recovery after climate events.
Donkeys are also under threat from the unsustainable trade in their skins, which are used in the production of a traditional Chinese remedy called ejiao. Donkeys are being increasingly taken, killed illegally, and their skins stored in ways that pose grave biosecurity threats. Vulnerable communities lose valuable working animals. They are also at risk from the health hazards posed by the trade.