US Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) reintroduced the Ejiao Act last week in the House of Representatives to ban the sale and trade of ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) products in the United States.
Young boy with family donkey foal in Kenya.
The trade and production of ejiao is an inhumane and dangerous business that is leading to the loss of donkeys and causing widespread harm to impoverished communities around the world.
© 2020 by Brooke USA New window.
Ejiao (pronounced “eh-gee-yow”) is a gelatin made from the hides of donkeys. It is used primarily in cosmetics and traditional Chinese medicines. Despite little scientific evidence of its purported health benefits, demand for ejiao is increasing dramatically. At the current rate of 4.8 million hides consumed each year, half of the world’s donkeys could be decimated in years to come.
The growing market for ejiao imperils donkey populations around the world and has spurred global trade that causes animal suffering and severely impacts communities that rely on donkeys for survival. Donkeys fetch water from miles away, take kids to school, assist in construction and farming, transport goods and produce to market, and even carry the elderly to the hospital. To meet the demand for ejiao donkeys are often stolen, transported over long distances without access to food, water, or medical care.
“The trade and production of ejiao is an inhumane and dangerous business that is leading to the loss of donkeys and causing widespread harm to impoverished communities around the world,” said Beyer. “More and more people in poorer countries are seeing animals upon which they depend stolen to meet the demand from the ejiao trade. Our bill would ensure the United States does not engage in the ejiao trade in any capacity and instead supports safer, more cost effective, and humane alternatives,” noted Rep. Beyer.
“Thanks to Rep. Beyer’s commitment, Congress is taking action to halt all importation of these products into this country,” said Emily Dulin, CEO of Brooke USA, the lead animal welfare organization working with Rep. Beyer’s office to build support for the bill.
“More and more people in poorer countries are seeing the animals they depend on stolen and killed to meet the demand for the ejiao trade. We should act immediately and help shut down this illicit trade that leads to substantial harm to humans and animals worldwide,” added Dulin, who has been working at the national and global levels for many years with Brooke: Action for Working Horses & Donkeys on halting the illegal donkey hide trade and advocating for protection laws for working equines.
Originally introduced in 2021 and then again in 2023, the Ejiao Act (H.R. 5203, then H.R. 6021, and now H.R. 5544) would prohibit the transport, sale, and purchase of ejiao products, as well as donkeys and donkey hides to produce ejiao.
Ejiao remains largely unknown to most American consumers, yet the United States is the third-largest importer of products containing ejiao, after Hong Kong and Japan, with approximately $12 million in annual imports each year. China remains the leading consumer of ejiao in the world. Some companies — notably eBay — have prohibited the sale of ejiao. But others continue to sell the gelatin. For the last five years, Brooke USA has been working with Amazon to ban the sale of ejiao on the global platform.
In July, the Animal Welfare Institute commissioned an online survey by The Harris Poll of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, indicating strong support for the Ejiao Act. The results found that an overwhelming majority of Americans (83%) agree that the production of ejiao raises animal welfare concerns and 80% agree that the steep decline in global donkey populations due to the increasing demand for ejiao is unacceptable.
Consumers looking to avoid purchasing anything containing ejiao should read product information and ingredient lists carefully. Related terms include “donkey hide,” “donkey glue,” “donkey-hide gelatin,” “donkey skin plastic,” “donkey oil,” and “colla corii asini” (Latin for “donkey neck hide”), or iterations using “ass” in lieu of “donkey.”
Brooke USA is joined by a coalition of animal welfare organizations who, together, are supporting Rep. Beyer on his journey to pass the Ejiao Act during the 119th Congress. These organizations include the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), American Wild Horse Conservation, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Ekō, the Homes for Horses Coalition, Humane World for Animals (formerly HSUS/HSI), Loco for Long Ears, and Species Unite.
To make your voice heard, visit www.BrookeUSA.org/ejiao-act, or www.BrookeUSA.org/amazon.
Brooke USA Foundation’s (BrookeUSA.org) 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. We are committed to sustainable economic development by reducing poverty, increasing food security, ensuring access to water, providing a means to education, and raising basic standards of living through improved equine health and welfare. We accomplish this by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need.
Press release by Amy Sales