Save Donkeys from the Brutal Skin Trade
Dear John,
Donkeys are valued and trusted companions around the world, yet these animals are being slaughtered in huge numbers due to the growing demand for ejiao (pronounced "eh-gee-yow")--gelatin made from boiling donkey hides. This product is used for cosmetics and in some traditional medicines (despite the lack of scientific evidence to support its purported benefits).
Demand has risen dramatically in the last few years; the ejiao industry now requires an estimated 4.8 million hides annually. Donkeys who fall victim to this trade are subjected to immense suffering--from appalling transport conditions without water, food, or rest to being bludgeoned to death.
Unfortunately, the United States is the third largest importer of products containing ejiao, after mainland China and Hong Kong, with approximately $12 million in annual imports each year. In response to this horrific trade, Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) introduced the Ejiao Act (H.R. 5203), which would ban the sale and trade of ejiao products in the United States. This would ensure that this country is no longer fueling a gruesome industry claiming the lives of millions of donkeys each year.