The National Crime Research Centre undertook this study to assess the scale, drivers and impact of theft and the illicit trade in donkeys and related products. The study highlights how the clandestine nature of this trade has enabled the growth of a shadow economy that operates outside legal and regulatory frameworks, undermines animal welfare standards, and perpetuates cycles of poverty among communities that depend on donkeys for their livelihoods and daily survival. A critical finding of the study is the emergence of sophisticated criminal networks that exploit gaps in cross-border regulations, law enforcement and local surveillance mechanisms to facilitate the illegal trade. Click here to access Theft and Illegal Trade in Donkey Skins and Related Products in Kenya, 2026