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Amazon urged to stop selling donkey-skin products
“Amazon must set the example and remove all products containing ejiao from its online platform” – Jim Hamilton.
Petition delivered to company as part of campaign against ejiao trade.

A petition urging Amazon to ban the sale of donkey-skin products on its platform has been delivered to the company’s headquarters at Crystal City, Virginia.

The petition, which had more than 370,000 signatures, was delivered by hand following a rally held in the nearby Metropolitan Park.

The rally involved organisations including Brooke USA, the Animal Welfare Institute, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Alliance, the Humane Society of the United States, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Fund for Alternatives to Animal Research, and Ekō.

Donkey-skin gelatin is used in ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine. An estimated five million donkeys are slaughtered each year globally to meet demand for the product, including in China, Africa, and South America.

Not only does the trade in donkey skin cause animal welfare issues, it also has a negative impact on poor communities that rely on working animals. Both Brooke USA and its UK sister-organisation Brooke are calling for a global ban on the trade in ejiao.

The sale of donkey-skin gelatin products has already been banned on eBay, but they are still available on Amazon.

A bill to ban the sale of product in the USA, that was originally introduced in 2021, has been reintroduced in the House of Representatives. Brooke USA is lobbying for the legislation to be passed. Earlier this year, the African Union voted to ban the the slaughter of donkeys for their skin across Africa.

Jim Hamilton, chairman of Brooke USA, said: “The international trade in donkey-hide gelatin products is leading to the mass slaughter of donkeys, resulting in widespread harm to impoverished communities around the world.

“We should act immediately and help shut down this illicit trade that leads to substantial harm to humans and animals worldwide. The first step is to reduce the demand by shutting down product access.

“Amazon must set the example and remove all products containing ejiao from its online platform.”

Image © Shutterstock

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.