Donkey's world: Controversial Topic

To American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – ASPCA and People for Ethical Treatment of Animals - PETA:

It is extremely comforting American people have both organizations fighting for animals’ wellbeing and rights. If it wasn’t for your efforts, I have no idea where animal welfare status would be (most likely in a lower and more detrimental baseline). And it is very praiseworthy that both organizations put different species into consideration, especially those that are not commonly seen or attached to current society. This text considers donkeys and an unnecessary practice still in vogue in many Mid-western high schools: donkey basketball or, simply, donkey ball.

Despite of being commonly used in baseball games during 1970’s, when they gained fame, donkeys are still victims of an old tradition which places them in unfamiliar and unnatural places to provide solely human amusement.

All of the points of view raised by both organizations are completely plausible, valuable and educational. Indeed, donkeys don’t belong to sport courts of high schools, but rather to pastures, barns or simple farms. Even though they seem well treated in promotional videos, PETA has said that never received an invitation of a farmer to check the animals’ conditions. In addition, since these groups are considered competition and not an exhibition, donkey ball companies are not required to be licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture. This can give them some kind of freedom to not follow animals’ wellbeing requirements and get away of some public complaints.

The unanimous concern regarding donkeys being stressed during this activity can be the main key to try to educate people against it. Everyone who attends donkey balls or even see pictures of it in a website can easily see that those animals are not comfortable with the situation. Riders seem to be carried away by excitement, and pull the animals’ halters willfully in order to move them throughout the sport court when their donkeys suddenly stop, which is their attempt to fend for themselves. Indeed, many people think that this behavior is what makes everything funnier, because they believe the animal was not cooperating with its human partner, what forces human provocation towards the donkeys, contributing with the stressful situation.

Some organizations already convinced some high school managers to cancel these events and replace them by other types of fundraising activities, more ethical ones. This is extremely meritorious!

It is also important to consider those who use donkeys in healthier and more ethical practices, such as zootherapy or children educational programs, in which individual bonding takes place and the person realizes the real essence and behavior of this adorable animal. These practices usually involve responsible people and actual professionals who look after the donkeys, evoking lasting and health bonds between regular people and animals. Respect and esteem are indispensable toward these people.