Working horse and donkey charity Brooke has asked Senegal to take a stand against the donkey skin trade, by hosting an event at the British Embassy last week. 

Brooke in West Africa was joined by journalists, activists and animal welfare advocates at the Embassy on 30 January 2025, to pledge their commitment to ending the slaughter of donkeys for their skins.  

The event also commemorated Brooke’s 90th anniversary and its founder, Dorothy Brooke, whilst marking the charity’s work in West Africa to tackle the skin trade. 

Brooke West Africa’s Director, Emmanuel Sarr, said: “Dorothy Brooke is an inspiration to us all. 

“She reminds us that each of us can play a role in building a fairer world for the animals who share our daily lives.  

“Let us remember Brooke and Dorothy Brooke and renew our commitment to the causes that were so dear to her.  

“It is recognising that this fight is far from over.” 

The market for donkey skin has grown alarmingly in recent years, due to increase demand in China for eijao, a remedy made from donkey hide.  

This means the donkey population is suffering, especially in Africa, with donkeys being stolen from their owners and slaughtered in inhumane conditions. 

Working animals, including donkeys, support millions of communities globally, by helping to put food on their tables and boost their economies. 

Created in 1934, Brooke is dedicated to improving the lives of these animals who are depended on by so many.  

The evening also included a speech from Her Excellency Juliette John, British Ambassador to Senegal, who stressed the importance of strengthening international efforts to support working animals.

In February 2024, the African Union opted for a continent-wide ban of the skin trade, thanks to lobbying by Brooke. 

Notes to Editor:  

Brooke Action for Working Horses and Donkeys is a U.K. based, global animal health and welfare charity that gives working horses, donkeys and mules a life worth living. 

Over 100 million of these animals pull carts, carry goods and work the land, earning an income that around 600 million people rely on to put food on their tables, earn a living and send their children to school. Sadly, many of them are suffering, so Brooke works with owners, communities, service providers, governments and international organisations to make long lasting welfare improvements.  

Brooke was founded in 1934 when Dorothy Brooke, a British woman, sought out war horses that had been left in Cairo after the First World War. With support from an appeal letter in the Morning Post newspaper, she set up the Old War Horse Memorial, which became Brooke, and expanded across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. 

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