Presented by: Erin Goodrich, DVM, DACVPM
This session will review the desert-adaptations of donkeys. It will focus on the ways in which those adaptations shape the behavior and nutritional needs of donkeys. Understanding these unique characteristics of donkeys is crucial to assessing their welfare. There will also be a review of the basic donkey populations present throughout the world today—working donkeys, companion donkeys, feral donkeys, and donkeys in production systems, as well as the specific welfare concerns applicable to each type of donkey population.
Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize the major desert-adaptations of donkeys.
2. Understand how those adaptations shape donkey behavior and nutritional needs, thereby playing a crucial role in their welfare.
3. Develop an understanding of the major welfare issues relevant to each type of donkey population: working donkeys, companion donkeys, feral donkeys, and production donkeys.