Our research and expertise
At the heart of our mission is a commitment to improving global understanding of donkey welfare. We continually contribute to veterinary science and behaviour change through peer-reviewed research and pioneering studies.
Equally important is our collaboration with communities that possess deep, generational knowledge of working with donkeys. By combining scientific research with lived experiences, we create and share knowledge that brings significant impact to donkey welfare worldwide.
At El Refugio del Burrito, we firmly believe in education and knowledge-sharing as the most effective tools for preventing welfare issues and improving animal well-being. Guided by this philosophy, a large part of our work is dedicated to promoting education on donkey welfare and basic care.
We provide technical resources for donkey owners, in both Spanish and English, which provide expert advice on various aspects of donkey care and welfare. Our full list of technical resources can be found in the resource hub of our donkey care section of the website.
Current projects
Currently, in Spain, we are leading two pioneering projects focused on spreading expert knowledge.
Proyecto Platero
We are working on the expansion of a network of donkey specialists, called Proyecto Platero, aimed at training equine veterinarians with specialized clinical knowledge on donkeys. This project seeks to keep veterinarians up to date with the latest developments while fostering collaboration among specialists. The initiative aims to:
- Share knowledge to enhance clinical practice and understanding of donkeys
- Offer a comprehensive and free continuing education programme for veterinarians and other professionals
- Create a directory of donkey specialists in Spain, helping associations, municipalities, and individuals find qualified experts.
Equine Welfare Forum
As part of our mission to ensure that all equines enjoy a good quality of life, we organise the Forum on Equine Welfare as a key space to reflect, debate, and propose solutions related to equine welfare in Spain.
This event brings together experts from the legal, veterinary, institutional, and academic fields to address the most urgent challenges affecting equines and to jointly chart a path for their protection and care.
This year, the forum was held on 23 March at the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and the 2030 Agenda in Madrid.
With the aim of addressing the most pressing challenges affecting equines and charting a path towards their protection and welfare, the II Equine Welfare Forum was held in Madrid on Thursday 13 March 2025. The event brought together leading experts from the legal, veterinary, institutional, and academic fields.
On 13 March, during the 2nd Equine Welfare Forum, we presented the Spanish translation of the White Paper: Good Welfare for Equids, with the participation of Izaskun Arrieta from Eurogroup for Animals.
