12/01/2025
Very important information!! Please feel free to share!!
Donkeys are NOT livestock guardians!
One question I get asked frequently during both experiences and Introduction to Donkey Ownership classes is some variation of "I heard donkeys are great at protecting livestock, is that true?" In a word, NO. I know this may offend some people who use donkeys as livestock protection, but please, just hear me out.
The first thing to realize is that, although donkeys can be fairly large, they are still prey animals. It is not fair to expect a prey animal to defend not only themselves, but other entirely seperate species, from fierce predatory animals, including mountain lions, feral dogs, bears, wolves, or coyote packs. They DO get preyed upon in the wild, as documented in some wild herds where the BLM has found donkeys killed by mountain lions. And that is just speaking of standard sized donkeys, so miniature donkeys are even more vulnerable.
The second thing to realize is that most donkeys do not care one iota about defending your chickens, goats, sheep, cows, horses, etc. from predators. Donkeys are NOT protective- what they CAN be, however, is territorial. This means that they often will chase animals out of "their" area- typically using their teeth to bite and front feet to stomp as they attempt to force the invader out of their territory. Unfortunately, many donkeys can also be territorial towards the small animals they are intended to protect, often with serious injuries or even death as a result. I personally have seen and heard of donkeys, both my own and clients', chasing and attacking chickens, goats, pet dogs, pigs, alpacas, and sheep, for a start.
Some donkeys aren't even territorial- I have several clients who have reported their donkeys watching as coyotes strolled right through the donkeys' paddock, sometimes even stealing toys right out from under the donkeys' noses!
It is so disheartening to see some people advertising their more shut-down and unfriendly donkeys as "great guardians!" This is setting the donkey up for a life of neglect. First, donkeys should never be a solo equine, yet many people who want donkeys as guardians have a mistaken notion that keeping a single donkey will allow it to bond with their smaller livestock and encourage it to protect them. Being kept as a lone equine is horrible for donkeys' mental well-being, as they are extremely social animals. SOME donkeys do okay with a horse, pony, or mule as a companion,but most honestly prefer the company of other donkeys.
Second, passing an unfriendly and untrained animal along as a "guardian," and then setting it loose in a large area pretty much guarantees that animal will revert to feral, and will be extremely hard to handle for routine care such as hoof trims, vet exams, and teeth floating. This means that often these basic needs will be neglected, leading to pain and discomfort. Also, most livestock are grazed on grass pastures, which is the worst diet for a donkey, setting them up for metabolic issues, obesity, and potentially painful hoof issues. It is unfair to the donkey in every way, and lowers their value to just a "thing" to help the more important, valuable livestock survive, without regard to the donkey's well-being.
If a person has an issue with predators, then the best course of action is to get an animal specifically bred and trained for the purpose of guarding livestock- there is a whole category of large breed dogs known as Livestock Guardian Dogs- ie LGDs, which include Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds, and Komondors, as well as others. This is 100% the recommended route for anyone with this issue, and is much more reliable than a donkey. Obviously, these breeds require proper care and training, so as always, do adequate research first!
So please, before getting a donkey to protect your livestock, do research first. Most of the reputable donkey education sites, rescues, and donkey advocates are very vocal that donkeys DO NOT make good livestock guardians! Feel free to check out The Donkey Sanctuary, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, Hee-Haw Halfway House, BRAY Club for more information and articles regarding the misuse of donkeys as livestock protectors.
