Swire Shipping Commits to ‘No Donkey Skins Carriage Policy’ on World Donkey Day

On World Donkey Day (May 8), The Donkey Sanctuary, an international animal welfare charity, applauds Swire Shipping for becoming the first global shipping line to publicly commit to a ‘No Donkey Skins Carriage policy’.

Last year, African Heads of State and Governments endorsed a continent-wide moratorium on the slaughter of donkeys for their skins at the 37th African Union Summit. This decision was made to address animal welfare concerns and recognize the crucial role donkeys play in supporting communities and economies across Africa.

Each year, millions of donkeys are killed for their skins, with the majority of skins being exported by sea to produce traditional medicines and remedies. Swire Shipping’s decision, effective immediately on May 8, marks a significant step in curbing this harmful trade.

Emirates also announced last year that it would ban the transportation of donkey hides on its flights worldwide. The Donkey Sanctuary believes that these actions by industry leaders will create momentum and urge other transport sector entities to follow suit. Restricting the international movement of donkey skins will help safeguard dwindling donkey populations in regions where communities rely on them for their livelihoods.

Research conducted by The Donkey Sanctuary in collaboration with the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) revealed a strong link between the trafficking of donkey skins and other illegal wildlife activities and organized crime.

Container shipping is frequently used for smuggling large quantities of wildlife products due to its cost-effectiveness and ability to transport substantial volumes with low detection rates. Shipping codes are utilized to disguise the movement of donkey hides, often concealing other illicit wildlife products among them.

Swire Shipping’s Chief Sustainability & Energy Transition Officer, Susana Germino, stated, “We are proud to support The Donkey Sanctuary by implementing a ban on donkey skins in our Responsible Cargo Carriage Policy. This decision reaffirms our commitment to sustainability and ensures that our operations do not contribute to illegal trades that threaten the survival of donkeys.”

The Donkey Sanctuary emphasized in a previous report, ‘The Global Trade in Donkey Skins: A Ticking Time Bomb,’ how donkey hides have been found alongside tiger hides, rhino horns, pangolin scales, and elephant ivory in containers destined for China.

The skin trade poses risks of disease transmission, including zoonotic diseases, due to the unregulated and untraceable nature of the product derived from the questionable slaughter of donkeys.

The Donkey Sanctuary, headquartered in Devon, UK, is dedicated to improving the lives of donkeys and mules globally, providing lifelong care to over 7,000 donkeys through sanctuaries and guardian homes across the UK and Europe.