Lifeline for Peru’s donkey-owning families

The project helped ease the pressures imposed on families in the Maras District of Cusco, following the sudden lockdown caused by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The people of Maras earn a modest living from their smallholdings and climate change has already started to negatively impact everyday living for donkeys and their owners.

Eduardo Santurtun, our Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, says: “The pandemic only compounded the issues faced by the people of Maras. Families were suddenly without funds to buy seeds and grow good quality feed for their donkeys.

“The project is a great example of engaging with different audiences who impact the welfare of working donkeys and mules to achieve sustainable change, ranging from the community, vet professionals and local government to tourists.”

Thankfully, The Donkey Sanctuary and Innovar y Compartir were able to assist these communities.

So far, the project has provided invaluable training to 49 families, helping to improve their animals’ diet, and seeds to provide odder for 172 donkeys for the whole year.

A further 42 families were provided with shelters, feeders, drinkers and salt.

Before these provisions were offered, more than 100 donkeys across Maras lacked shelter needed to protect them from extreme weather, such as heavy rain and hail, which are more common place for longer periods due to climate change.

Now, more than 170 donkeys enjoy better living conditions and have a safe, secure venue to recuperate in at night time.

The Donkey Sanctuary funded the provision of 73 head collars to help prevent wounds due to poor harness and fitting, and six new local ‘donkey welfare ambassadors’ were also trained as a solution to address the poor access donkeys and locals had to veterinary care.

But our work doesn’t stop there. This year, we are planning to consolidate and build on the activities we initially supported, and to help more donkeys and families across two new areas in Maras – Mullacas and Kacllaraccay – and we can only continue this work with the kindness of our supporters.