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Showing posts from April, 2017

UNDERSTANDING THE DONKEY TRADE

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Image courtesy of The Donkey Sanctuary Do you ever wonder what the growing concern with the “Donkey Trade” is about? Maybe you have a vague comprehension of the gist but not the particulars about the matter. Donkeys have over centuries been of great help to mankind; they have been used in agriculture, transport, and in some societies, they are used for medicine. According to Dr. Ssuna, “more than half the world’s population depends on donkeys for power…misconception of their endurance leads to welfare issues” (Ssuna, 2016,p.15). The recent hike in concern over Donkey welfare has arisen due to the recent increase in demand for donkey hides by the Chinese. Working Donkeys in India (image sourced from the internet) Traditionally, the Chinese use donkey hides to make Ejiao, a sticky gelatin like substance which is believed to be medicine to cure several conditions such as insomnia, coughs and is also believed to be a beauty potion. Donkey skin is said to be r