Children who weigh more than 50 kilos - or 8 st - are facing a ban on donkey rides at the seaside - to protect the donkeys' health.
The animals - traditionally known as beasts of burdens - are buckling under their load as the weight of obese kids wears them out.
The rules - which come into force today - have been brought in by the British Equine Vets' Association and The Donkey Sanctuary; the donkeys already have an annual "MOT" to ensure they are fit for work.
The ones who work on high days and holidays in Blackpool are already strictly monitored with each being micro-chipped so that they can be easily identified.
Along with the ban on excess weight, the national code of practice restricts donkeys to a six-day week with a full day's rest on the seventh.
Their owners must also give them a rest of at least an hour at lunchtime or in the evening.
The donkey ride has been a tradition in popular British resorts since Victorian days and there are still 850 seaside donkeys still hard at work, despite the move away from UK holidays to far-off climes.
"The average donkey weighs up to 160 kilos so we think 50 kilos is a reasonable top-weight to carry," a spokeswoman from The Donkey Sanctuary told Sky News.
"Also, donkeys don't have a water resistant coat so they need to have shelter too," she added with reference to the typical British summer.
Asked why donkeys evoked such sentiment, she was quite clear.
"They are so calm, so gentle and really placid. I also think people like donkeys because they remind them of their younger days, when it was traditional to see them on the beach - it takes them back to childhood".
The Sanctuary is not just involved in protecting the welfare of donkeys in this country but it also has interests abroad, including Ethiopia, Mexico, Kenya, Egypt and India and Europe.
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