Rescue Hundreds Of Donkeys From A Life Of Pain, Donate To Feed Them Nutritious Meals

They don’t cry. They don’t resist. They just carry on unheard, unseen, uncared for until their bodies give out.

They are donkeys - gentle, silent, and unseen - labouring endlessly in the searing heat of Maharashtra’s brick kilns and construction sites with tired eyes and aching backs.

10 hours. No rest. No food. No water. No mercy

Tied with frayed ropes, their owners force them to carry over 60 kgs on their backs - more than half their body weight. They toil for over 10 hours in blistering heat, with wOunds on their bodies and flies in their eyes. They don’t complain. But when the day ends, their suffering doesn’t.

And when their use is over, many are abandoned on the roadside - forced to eat from the garbage and drink from sewage water. Some go blind. Others get hit by speeding vehicles and are left p@ralyzed, dragging their limbs till they collapse.

And when monsoons arrive and the kilns close, their fate worsens with no food, shelter or compassion.

A study conducted in Beed, Latur, and Nanded revealed a cruel truth: nearly 7,000 donkeys in the region, the backbone of rural construction and transport, suffer from chronic lameness, disease, and malnutrition - but receive no recognition, no care, no rest.

Many have chronic injuries - spine deformities, festering w0unds, and infected hooves. Some collapse from being too weak to stand.

Two decades ago, Baba Saheb Deshmukh began what is now Dharma Donkey Sanctuary 

“They work like they owe us their lives. All we owe them is kindness.” - Baba Saheb Deshmukh. 

From v@ccination camps to mobile vet services, they’ve treated thousands of donkeys. They provide food mixed with mineral supplements for their protein, clean fresh water, and eye care. The sanctuary even offers sewa - a peaceful retirement - for old donkeys who can no longer work. 

After years of silent suffering, change is here. Animal welfare teams are going village to village—raising awareness, training owners, and promoting alternatives to animal labour.

In March 2025, a major win: the District Collector issued rules to protect donkeys—limiting work to 8 hours, capping loads at 50 kgs, restricting summer work hours, and ensuring water and rest.

‘These rules offer hope - but enforcement is everything because for every donkey still collapsing from exhaustion, the promise of protection remains just a piece of paper.’ - Abhijeet, Trustee 

But the scale of suffering is overwhelming, and the need for funds is urgent  

The sanctuary needs your support for emergency veterinary camps in brick kilns, vaccinations, deworming and installing freshwater tanks and temporary shelters to combat summer dehydration. Donate now to make a difference in the lives of these voiceless beings.