Sponsors (11)
Introduced September 23, 2025 by Donald Sternoff Beyer · Last progress September 23, 2025
The bill strengthens enforcement, clarity, and penalties to protect donkey populations and deter illicit trade, but it also raises significant economic costs for rural communities and small businesses, creates property- and liberty-risking forfeiture and enforcement mechanisms, and will require government resources to implement.
Communities, regulators, and the public will see reduced illegal donkey-derived trade because the bill creates civil penalties, criminal penalties, seizure, and forfeiture authorities that deter unlawful importation and sale.
Rural communities and global biodiversity will benefit from slowing the donkey-skin/ejiao trade, helping prevent further donkey population collapses and related biodiversity loss.
Very poor households and rural families that depend on donkeys will gain greater protection from theft and killing of animals (and associated asset loss) if enforcement reduces illegal sourcing of hides.
Rural exporters, intermediaries, small businesses, and some consumers face lost income, disrupted livelihoods, and higher costs if restrictions or enforcement reduce legal or informal trade in donkey-derived products.
Individuals and small businesses risk severe financial exposure and possible criminal prosecution because the bill imposes repeated $10,000 civil penalties per violation and criminal penalties (including imprisonment) under a 'should know' standard that may catch negligent actors.
Property owners risk losing vehicles, vessels, animals, or other assets through civil forfeiture or broad forfeiture rules even if they are not criminally culpable, and contesting forfeiture can be costly and time-consuming.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits the import, export, transport, sale, receipt, acquisition, or purchase in U.S. interstate or foreign commerce of donkeys, donkey hides, and any product containing ejiao (a gelatin made from donkey skin). It creates civil penalties (up to $10,000 per violation), criminal penalties (including fines and possible jail time), broad forfeiture rules for animals, hides, products and conveyances, and gives U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Secretary of the Interior primary enforcement authority with specified powers to inspect, detain, seize, and investigate. The law also defines key terms and documents findings about global donkey population declines, trade impacts on rural livelihoods, and available substitutes for ejiao.