Donkeys | 191 Donkeys arrived in the United States with the Spanish and in Australia with the British Without the service of these animals, it would have been difficult to colonize these continents Their hardiness in harsh and inhospitable conditions was invaluable to the pioneers However, the success of European humans and their animals in colonizing new lands led to many unforeseen consequences One of those consequences is that some of those animals, the descendants of which are now running wild in vast numbers, having successfully adapted to their environment, are causing problems for the descendants of the humans who brought them there When donkeys were no longer considered of any economic value, they are socially constructed as pests, feral, exotic invaders, and even vermin They are targeted for eradication when they compete with livestock for resources, destroy cultivated or wild environments, and threaten humans economically Although they were previously shot in the United States, there was an outcry from some sections of the public In 1952, legislation was passed making it illegal to shoot wild donkeys in Death Valley in California, where the greatest numbers roamed A sanctuary was also set up for their safety In 1971, the US Senate and House of Representatives passed the Wild FreeRoaming Horses and Burro Act, which protected wild horses and donkeys from harassment and death In fact, wild donkeys have been removed from National Parks, and agencies for and against the donkey still battle in various states; however, it would seem that those who wish to preserve the donkey as an important player in America’s history are winning with their “Adopt a wild horse or burro” scheme, run by the Bureau of Land Management Despite attempts to revoke the protections afforded by the Act of 1971, it was reaffirmed unanimously in the House of Representatives in May 2006, with the passage of an amendment prohibiting taxpayers’ money from being used to sell or slaughter America’s wild horses and burros In Australia, on the other hand, government agencies are intent on the eradication of feral donkeys There have been public outcries whenever it is reported that brumbies (wild horses) are to be slaughtered, so it would be more hopeful for the remaining wild donkeys if, as in the United States, they were considered equal to wild horses, and recognized as important players in Australia’s European history, rather than slaughtered as vermin Within government and scientific communities, ethical issues regarding the suffering of donkeys is of secondary consideration to the management of feral animals Many believe that, as a society, humans must decide the moral standing and significance of nonhuman animals and the duty of care afforded to them An anthropocentric ethic prevails, where environmental, agricultural, and economic considerations override the value of the individual animal Questions like these have been asked: Is it morally defensible to assign value to a native animal and death to a non-native animal? Are donkeys, who have served humans for thousands of years, somehow less worthy now that they have become overly abundant when we no longer need them? If we decide that it is ethically defensible to slaughter them, then we must be very sure of our reasons, and ensure that the killing is humane Those who are concerned about the mistreatment of donkeys believe that