Full course description
About the course
There is a growing global awareness that the health of people, animals and our shared environment are bound together. Around the world, donkeys and mules are often overlooked in discussions about One Health, One Welfare and sustainable development. Yet they are sentient beings with their own needs, preferences and welfare experiences. They also play important roles in the lives of people, communities and ecosystems.
Despite these interconnections, animal health, public health and environmental professionals often work in silos.
This course aims to help bridge these divides through a One Health and One Welfare perspective. It highlights why donkeys and mules must be included in discussions about health, wellbeing and sustainable development. It also demonstrates that improving animal welfare is not only good for animals, but also benefits people and the planet.
While many examples in this course are drawn from working equids and sustainable development settings, the principles of One Health and One Welfare apply to all donkeys and mules, irrespective of their role or the settings in which they live.
You will explore how their welfare is connected to human wellbeing, community resilience and environmental sustainability, and learn how cross-sector collaboration can support positive outcomes for animals, people and the wider environment.
Modules
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Module 1: A One Health/One Welfare framework and its implication for donkey and mule welfare
In this module, you will dive into the core frameworks that connect human, animal and environmental systems.
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Module 2: The role of donkeys and mules in One Health/One Welfare and sustainable development
In this module, you will investigate how donkeys and mules support One Health/One Welfare and global sustainable development.
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Module 3: Donkey and mule welfare challenges, underlying causes and improvement indicators
This module takes you from theory into practice, focusing on the real-world welfare challenges faced by donkeys and mules globally.
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Module 4: Applying One Health/One Welfare in practice and policy
This final module gives you insights on how to embed solutions within practice and policy frameworks.
Who this course is for
This course is designed primarily for professionals, para-professionals and students in the veterinary, human health, environmental and social science fields. However, it can also be of benefit to a range of people with roles in donkey and mule welfare and development work with a One Health dimension.
Why the course matters
Benefits to you
This course focuses on the wellbeing of working equids. It shows that caring for them well also benefits people and the environment.
You’ll be able to apply the knowledge from this course in your clinical and preventive care work. You’ll also see how to include equid welfare in development, environmental and disaster programmes, work with communities and support policy and advocacy.
Benefits to donkeys
This course promotes donkey welfare by recognising the close link between equid wellbeing, human livelihoods and environmental sustainability. It equips professionals to advocate for sustainable welfare practices and reduce donkey suffering. This integrated approach supports long-term, community-driven welfare improvements beyond individual clinical care.
Assumed prior learning
No prior donkey specific knowledge is required. Learners need only basic digital and professional literacy.
Sentience statement
The Donkey Sanctuary recognises and celebrates animal sentience, understanding that donkeys and other equids have the capacity to experience feelings and emotions. These emotions may be positive, like joy, or negative, such as fear and distress. As individuals, equids have desires and dislikes, and make choices based on their unique personalities.
How to cite
The Donkey Sanctuary. (21/01/26). Donkeys and Mules in One Health/One Welfare and Sustainable Development (CWEL103). [Online]. https://thedonkeysanctuary.eu-west.catalog.canvaslms.com/