Intelligent and resilient: today we celebrate the day of the animal that is not what it says it is, the donkey

“Being stupid” is an expression of general knowledge, but it does not dignify the four-legged animal that has accompanied human beings for thousands of years and that has nothing like a donkey, let’s say.

Described by AEPGA as a be docile, resilient, stoic, sociable and tender, the donkey has assumed all types of roles over the centuries, from work companion to therapist and also, of course, friend. Therefore, this Wednesday is International Donkey Day.

This date aims to raise awareness and make known the true importance of this animal. which still assumes, in many places around the globe, truly essential functions in everyday life.

These days it is an undervalued animal, but it is worth remembering that Throughout history, it has always played an important role in the development of communities as it was, for example, essential for transporting people and essential goods and for working in agricultural fields.

AEPGA takes this opportunity to recall that the Donkey Miranda, an indigenous Portuguese species, is threatened with extinctionalthough he has always contributed “in a decisive way to the rurality, culture and history of Portugal”.

If you want to help in the fight for the conservation of this species, you can sponsor a donkey. Here You will find all the information you need to contribute to the conservation of this species.

Every year since 2014, AEPGA has published the “5 Freedoms of Animal Welfare” on its International Donkey Day posters: freedom from discomfort, freedom to express normal behaviors, freedom from fear, freedom from suffering, and freedom from hunger and thirst.

This year, the association highlights freedom from suffering, which “underlines the importance of providing medical and veterinary care throughout an animal’s life”.

“This freedom reminds us that priority must be given to preventing health problems and acting quickly in the initial stages of pathologies and injuries, so that diagnosis and treatment are effective, thus reducing the likelihood of suffering unnecessary pain or developing long-term illnesses” , informs the organization.

Currently, the five freedoms listed above are the animal welfare guidelines that have been adopted and subscribed to by all institutions that guarantee animal care.