Kenya, Kaliluni, AUGUST 2019.Kaliluni women group.Women who make tethering ropes appropriate for donkeys and sell to generate income for the group. .photo: Petterik Wiggers/The Brooke.
A new petition is calling for a ban on the trade of donkey skins in a region that has become a “hotspot”.
Brooke is asking the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to ban the trade of donkey skins in East Africa, which is home to the highest donkey population in the world. The IGAD acts as a regional government for Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda.
“Like the EU, IGAD harmonises policy across the region and facilitates conversations between member countries to collaboratively form and implement solutions to key developmental issues,” said a Brooke spokesman.
“Home to the highest donkey population in the world, the region has become a hotspot for donkey skin traders and has the highest number of slaughterhouses in Africa, currently six.”
The spokesman said donkeys are killed for their skins to fulfil the growing demand for ejiao, a gelatin used in traditional Chinese medicine and beauty products.
“There are major impacts in terms of both animal welfare and the livelihoods of animal owners. Donkeys are a vital part of the working livestock sector and support the livelihoods of thousands of people in East Africa. Currently, restrictions on the donkey skin trade are inconsistent and traders are able to exploit areas where the laws and enforcement are weakest, leaving donkeys at risk,” he said.
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“Pressure from Brooke supporters has already helped secure a ban in Kenya and working with IGAD will allow Brooke to have an even wider impact; shutting down the entire region and keeping donkey populations and livelihoods safe.”
The spokesman said one of the main reasons the trade was banned in Kenya was because the Government recognised the damage it was doing to the livelihoods of Kenyan people.
“But that hasn’t stopped slaughterhouses trying to overturn it.” said the spokesman. “With donkeys being stolen, a pressure being put on their owners to sell, and the rising cost of donkeys all mean that people are losing the donkeys they need, and aren’t able to replace them.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
