The Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctuary has welcomed a milestone in its campaign against the donkey skin trade, which has been leading to the slaughter of millions of donkeys across Africa.
Earlier this month the African Heads of State agreed a pan-African ban on the killing of donkeys for their skin.
The agreement will not only help protect the continent’s 33 million donkeys from being stolen, trafficked and slaughtered, it will also safeguard tens of thousands of communities across Africa that rely on donkeys for their wellbeing and livelihoods.
The donkey skin trade has been fuelled by the demand for the traditional Chinese remedy ejiao, which is made from the gelatin in donkey skin, and is believed to have health-enhancing and youth-preserving properties. Chinese manufacturers used to use skins from donkeys in their own country, but when numbers dropped they began sourcing the skins from Africa.
The Donkey Sanctuary has been campaigning against this trade for many years. Its figures show that globally, at least 5.9 million donkeys are slaughtered for their skins every year. About two-thirds of the world's estimated population of 53 million donkeys are in Africa, where people in the poorest, rural communities rely on them for transport and to carry water, food and other goods.
Responding to the news of the ban, Marianne Steele, chief executive of The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “This is a truly momentous result for the welfare of donkeys in Africa. The decision to ban the slaughter of donkeys for the skin trade is enormous. Donkeys are sensitive and intelligent creatures who deserve protection for their own sakes, and for the countless communities who rely on them.
“This agreement from leaders of the African Union strikes at the heart of the brutal skin trade. It’s our hope that this decision will act as a catalyst for the rest of the world to act now, to not just save our donkey populations but to actively recognise their value and protect them properly.”
Dr Calvin Solomon Onyango, director of The Donkey Sanctuary in Kenya, said: “Here in Kenya we see first-hand the devastating impact of the donkey skin trade. Not just the horrific treatment of these gentle animals, but also the effect it has on women, children and the communities who rely on donkeys for their social and economic lives.
“We are therefore extremely pleased that Africa’s Heads of States have banned the slaughter of donkeys for their skins, across the continent. Based on what we have seen here in Kenya, if the exploitation of donkeys were to continue at the rate we had been seeing, in another three to six years, donkeys could be joining rhino and elephants as an endangered species in Africa.”
The Donkey’s Sanctuary’s campaign to Stop the Slaughter is the single biggest donkey protection initiative the charity has undertaken in over 50 years of operation. Those who want to support the campaign can sign up to receive regular updates, and any donation made will support work to improve the welfare of donkeys everywhere, including this campaign.
Dr Otieno Mtula, regional campaigns and advocacy manager for The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “This milestone moment is just the beginning – this decision needs to be implemented and enforced by every country that makes up the African Union.
“We will work closely with our colleagues and partners across Africa to provide all the support and resources we can to see this commitment to a ban on the slaughter of donkeys for their skins become a reality across Africa and the start of a new era for donkey welfare.”
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