Working Equids: Welfare, Health and Behavior

Dear Colleagues,

Working equids—such as donkeys, mules, and working horses—are indispensable to the livelihoods of millions of people around the world. Despite their vital roles in transport, agriculture, and daily subsistence activities, their health, welfare, and behavioral needs are often under-recognized and underserved. Ensuring the well-being of these animals requires a thorough understanding of the physical, psychological, and social challenges they face in diverse working environments.

We are pleased to invite you to submit original research articles, critical reviews, and commentaries addressing the welfare, health, and behavior of working equids. Particular attention will be given to the interaction between human care practices and the biological and behavioral needs of these animals across various geographic, cultural, and economic contexts.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: welfare assessment, access to veterinary care, working conditions, behavioral indicators of stress and pain, human–animal interaction, environmental and management factors, and community-based approaches to improving equid welfare.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions, which will help improve the lives of working equids globally.

Dr. Barbara Padalino
Prof. Dr. Christopher Riley
Prof. Dr. Anna May
Guest Editors

Beatrice Benedetti E-mail
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Interests: equid welfare and behavior; pain recognition and management; equitation science; animal welfare

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.