Arlington, VA, October 16, 2024 – Animal welfare advocates representing millions of people around the world gathered at Amazon HQ2 to hand-deliver over 370,000 petition signatures demanding that Amazon ban the sale of ejiao, a gelatin made from donkey hides that is used in cosmetics products.
An estimated five million donkeys are slaughtered every year to meet the growing demand for ejiao. This trade not only subjects the animals to inhumane transportation conditions and slaughter methods, but also devastates the livelihoods of families in rural communities across the globe. Many donkeys are stolen from families who rely on these trusted and loyal animals for transportation and farming.
While eBay banned ejiao from its platform in 2017, Amazon continues to ignore the global call to act, despite numerous meetings with issue experts and growing pressure from animal welfare organizations. Rep. Don Beyer introduced a bill (H.R. 6021) in Congress that would ban the sale and trade of ejiao across the United States, yet Amazon has still refused to take meaningful steps to address this urgent issue.
A global coalition of organizations, including corporate accountability group Ekō, Brooke USA Foundation, the Animal Welfare Institute, the Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Alliance, the American Wild Horse Conservation, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, and American Fund for Alternatives to Animal Research (AFAAR), organized a rally at Metropolitan Park. The event was followed by a petition delivery to show company executives that Amazon customers worldwide want them to do their part to protect donkeys and the families who rely on them.
“It’s outrageous that Amazon continues to allow the sale of ejiao products on its site, fully aware of the brutal conditions. Donkeys are being stolen from families and then subjected to dehydration and broken bones, before being bludgeoned to death and skinned,” said Lacey Kohlmoos, Sr Campaign Manager at Ekō. “I hope that today’s action and the outcry of over 370,000 people from around the world finally convinces the company to do the right thing for both the impacted families and the donkeys.”
“The international trade in donkey-hide gelatin products is leading to the mass slaughter of donkeys, resulting in widespread harm to impoverished communities around the world. We should act immediately and help shut down this illicit trade that leads to substantial harm to humans and animals worldwide. The first step is to curtail the demand by shutting down product access. Amazon must set the example and remove all products containing ejiao from its online platform,” stated Jim Hamilton DVM, Chairman of the Board of Brooke USA.
“The number of items sold on Amazon that are the direct product of the suffering and brutal slaughter of donkeys is a travesty. There is no legitimate reason for Amazon to continue enabling the decimation of donkeys worldwide. We call on Amazon to listen to consumers, take a principled stance, and remove ejiao from its platform,” said Joanna Grossman, PhD, Equine Program Director for the Animal Welfare Institute.
“Any corporation whose leadership and customers care about animal welfare must reject the sale of products procured through cruelty to animals. “Ejiao” is such a product, derived from the hides of donkeys that are often stolen from their owners and cruelly bludgeoned to death. Demand for ejiao has the potential to decimate the world donkey population and has caused suffering to the families who depend on the animals for their livelihoods. Amazon should immediately halt the sale of ejiao on its online platform as other progressive corporations have done.” said Keith Dane, Senior Director, Equine Protection for the Humane Society of the United States.
Ekō is a global movement of consumers, investors, and workers all around the world, united together to hold corporations accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable and just path for our global economy.
Brooke USA Foundation’s mission is to significantly improve the health, welfare and productivity of working horses, donkeys and mules and the people who depend on them for survival worldwide. Brooke USA strives to alleviate the suffering and vulnerability of developing communities by implementing programs that improve the quality of life of working equines.
The Animal Welfare Institute is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild.
The Humane Society of the United States fights the big fights to end suffering for all animals by taking on puppy mills, factory farms, the fur trade, trophy hunting, animal cosmetics testing and other cruel industries.
The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Alliance (HSVMA) is a program of the Humane Society of the United States that was formed as a home for veterinary professionals who want to engage in direct care programs for animals in need and educate the public and others in the profession about animal welfare issues.
The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse.
American Fund for Alternatives to Animal Research (AFAAR) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and assisting in the development and use of alternatives to animals in all areas of science and science education.
For more information about a current Ekō campaign or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson please contact us at
