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One welfare: Linking poverty, equid ownership and equid welfare in the brick kilns of India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

LM Kubasiewicz ,
T Watson ,
SL Norris ,
N Chamberlain ,
C Nye ,
RK Perumal ,
R Saroja ,
Z Raw  and
FA Burden
LM Kubasiewicz*
Affiliation:
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, UK
T Watson
Affiliation:
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, UK
SL Norris
Affiliation:
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, UK
N Chamberlain
Affiliation:
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, UK
C Nye
Affiliation:
Centre for Rural Policy Research, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK
RK Perumal
Affiliation:
Donkey Sanctuary Welfare Association, Ahmedabad, India
R Saroja
Affiliation:
Donkey Sanctuary Welfare Association, Ahmedabad, India
Z Raw
Affiliation:
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, UK
FA Burden
Affiliation:
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence: [email protected]
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Abstract

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The brick kilns in India are associated with extremely low pay, poor working conditions and a lack of regulation. Equids, however, may provide a route out of poverty by enabling workers to access a higher income. The relatively higher financial returns from healthy equids could also motivate welfare improvements. We used a mixed-methods approach including livelihoods questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and welfare assessments to investigate the links between poverty, equid ownership and equid welfare in the brick kilns of Ahmedabad, India. Whilst equid owners earned more than non-owners during the kiln season, the opposite trend was found for these workers for work conducted outside of the kilns during the off-season. Equid ownership was, however, strongly influenced by social factors and, within certain communities, equid ownership may be the only viable escape from extreme poverty. In terms of welfare, equid behaviour was better for owners with better financial security, likely due to the availability of resources. Equid health improved with longevity of ownership, suggesting that owners who view working with their equids as a long-term partnership are more likely to ensure their equids are kept in good health. For stakeholders aiming to improve both human health and equid welfare, a ‘one welfare’ approach which values the intrinsic connections between poverty and both equid ownership and equid welfare could greatly increase success.

Keywords

animal welfareEquus asinushuman livelihoodspovertysustainable development goalsworking equids
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 31 , Issue 4 , November 2022 , pp. 517 - 528
Copyright
© 2022 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Footnotes

**

The online version of this article has been updated since original publication. A notice detailing the change has also been published

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