Donkeys are not just for Christmas but all year round in some countries' industries

Anna Harrison BSc (Hons) BVSc (Hons) CertWEL MScIAWEL AFHEA MRCVS looks at a breakthrough in understanding how it can affect them

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For many of you this is both a festive and religious time of year and donkeys will be out and about playing their part in recreating the age-old story of Christmas, where the donkey played such a big role. Although here in the UK they are thankfully not being expected to carry a heavily pregnant woman on a journey of 102 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, in many countries they are still the only form of transport when seeking health care without walking yourself. Many of the donkeys taking part in creating the nativity in the UK will be well behaved and the congregation will be impressed. Some may not behave according to plan and the congregation will love it! This could be a stressful time for donkeys - they may be separated from their companion, travelled in an unfamiliar trailer, robed up with tinsel and even a hat (as if a donkey is not beautiful enough!) and walked amongst a myriad of strangers, possibly in a large, echoey church. And don't even mention the singing! Yes, it's stressful but a bit of stress in life is inevitable and the responsible carers will ensure any distress is minimized by training, planning and because the donkeys bringing so much Christmas joy will trust their owners to protect and care for them.

But what if the stress, pain, hunger, thirst and abuse is very high and unrelenting? In some parts of the world, the plight of donkeys is not only dire, but also life threatening. As veterinary adviser to Safe Haven for Donkeys, a UK registered charity working in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank and Egypt, I have seen donkeys literally broken by overwork and abuse. And, once broken - abandoned to an unknown fate. How cruelly ironic that the animal who made that perilous journey with such a precious but heavy load is treated so badly.