More than a third of the Dominican Republic’s total population lives in poverty.

The people of Samana know only one equid – one that works long days every day for as long as it physically can do the work – despite illness or injury. These animals do not have stalls with fans or grooms to hose off sweat. Life for the folks who own these animals is not much easier. People depend on a donkey, horse, or mule for their family income which is usually about $5 per day if there is work to be had.

Work for the animals means hauling nearly their own weight in coconuts, palm nuts or tourists up and down steep hills and along unpaved and rutted roads.