BERLIN—Temperatures are rising and the summer holidays are just around the corner in Germany. In time for the busy travel season, Humane World for Animals Germany (formerly Humane Society International) has published an animal-friendly travel guide with eight tips to help travelers enjoy a summer free from animal cruelty and suffering.
Unfortunately, exploitative and cruel tourist attractions can be found in almost every country. This humane travel guide offers practical advice for trips within Europe as well as popular destinations like Thailand, South Africa, the United States and beyond. Key topics include street animals, horse-drawn carriage rides, so-called culinary “specialties” like whale meat, wildlife souvenirs and elephant bathing.
Sylvie Kremerskothen Gleason, country director of Humane World for Animals Germany, says: "Animals are not tourist attractions. Saying no to elephant or camel rides, selfies with wild animals or dolphin shows sends a strong message—one of compassion, respect and opposition to cruelty. Ethical travel starts before the journey begins: those who inform themselves can make conscious choices and help prevent the exploitation of animals on holiday. Our tips show how to travel in a way that is kind to animals."
Eight tips for a vacation without animal cruelty
1) Caring for street animals responsibly
(e.g. Spain, Italy, Greece and India)
Popular travel destinations for German tourists such as Spain, Italy and Greece are also home to large populations of street animals. It can be heartbreaking to witness the suffering of these dogs and cats, and many travelers want to help.
Humane World for Animals recommends researching local animal shelters and rescue groups located at your holiday destination before you set off. It’s a good idea to note down contact details in case you come across an animal in urgent need.
Local shelters are often overcrowded, and they may recommend that it’s better to support the animals where they live on the street. Ask how best to support them; for example, donations of pet food or supplies can be a valuable contribution to ease the burden on local shelters and rescue efforts.
2) Don’t visit bull fights or bull fiestas
(e.g. Spain, France, Portugal and some Latin American countries)
Cruelty is not acceptable as entertainment or culture, so when travelling to countries such as Spain, France, Portugal and some Latin American destinations, don’t attend bullfights, bull fiestas or any festival where animals are subjected to distressing, painful or lethal activity. Bulls are commonly deprived of food and water for days prior to a "fight" to weaken them. Once in the ring, a bull is repeatedly stabbed by a variety of spears, spikes and daggers, causing tremendous pain and blood loss until the matador finally drives a sword into the exhausted animal.
3) Get around cities without supporting animal suffering
(Worldwide)
Horse-drawn carriage rides are a common sight in cities both large and small. The idea of exploring a city from a carriage may seem charming to tourists—but behind the scenes lies a great deal of animal suffering. Horses are often forced to pull heavy carriages for hours on end, without adequate breaks and frequently in extreme heat. Many receive little or no veterinary care, inadequate food and water, and are made to walk long distances on hard pavement. They are also constantly exposed to exhaust fumes and the dangers and stress of urban traffic. At night, these animals are often kept in cramped, unsuitable stables where they can barely move. When they are no longer able to pull carriages due to age or health issues, they are frequently abandoned, sold, or sent to slaughter. Humane World for Animals urges travelers not to support these exploitative attractions.
4) Animals are not selfie props
(e.g. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Costa Rica and USA)
Never pay to have your photo taken with wild animals such as parrots, lion cubs, monkeys, sloths, snakes or wild cats. These animals are often stolen from the wild or bred in low welfare captive conditions and can be sedated with drugs to make them easier to handle. They can also be beaten and have their teeth or claws removed.
In South Africa, thousands of lions are bred in captivity and taken away from their mothers at just days old to be used as photo props for tourists. Humane World for Animals calls this the ‘snuggle scam’ because what visitors don’t realize is that the very cubs they pose with for cute selfies are condemned to lives of suffering, exploitation and eventually death. Once the cubs have grown bigger, they are exploited for ‘walking with lions’ tourist experiences, and then eventually sold to be killed in canned hunting operations or for the lion bone trade. Humane World for Animals recommends Wild Choices as a comprehensive guide to make informed choices about captive wildlife tourism facilities in South Africa.
In Costa Rica, Humane World for Animals is a member of the #StopAnimalSelfies campaign which educates visitors about ethical wildlife practices in tourism activities. This handy guide shows travelers how to take a photographic memory in a responsible way.
Wild animals belong in the wild and that’s where Humane World for Animals recommends you observe them. Choose an accredited, animal-friendly and sustainable wildlife tour operator so that you can take photos of wild animals from a respectful distance.
5) Admire marine mammals with respect
(e.g. Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Iceland, USA, Japan, China, UAE, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Mexico (and other countries in Latin America), Dominican Republic and Jamaica)
Dolphins, whales and other marine mammals don’t belong in tanks on public display. Humane World for Animals believes that these animals are best seen in their natural coastal and ocean environments instead of being held captive simply to entertain people in shows or “swimming with” experiences. In the wild, many whales and dolphins live in tight family units with social bonds often lasting many years, even a lifetime. They travel long distances every day and can dive several hundred meters below the ocean’s surface. None of these vital behaviors can ever be replicated in the sterile, limited world of captivity, and the boredom and frustration of life in a tank can cause skin problems, dorsal fin collapse (in orcas), fighting, high mortality rates and stress.
There were once 14 dolphinaria in Germany, but now there are just two facilities with a total of 14 captive dolphins. There is no official ban in Germany or at EU level. Globally there are around 3,700 whales and dolphins in captivity and in many European countries like Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands, and also in the United States, Japan, China, and the UAE, marine mammal shows are still common. Humane World for Animals urges travelers not to visit these shows.
In June this year, Mexico passed a groundbreaking ban that prohibits the use of marine mammals in captivity for entertainment purposes.
6) Don’t buy wild
(Worldwide)
Souvenirs made from wild animal parts such as sea turtle shell, teeth, feathers, fur, hair (giraffe or elephant) or ivory means that an animal has suffered for your trinket, and you may be supporting the poaching and trafficking of wild animals. Instead, Humane World for Animals recommends supporting the local community by buying a painting, carving or animal-free craft item by a local artisan.
7) Enjoy local plant-based food
(Worldwide)
For many travelers, sampling local cuisine is an essential part of any holiday but this needn’t be at the expense of animals. To make more compassionate choices when dining out, research local restaurants in advance to find some that are plant-based or vegan-friendly. Many places now offer plant-based options. HappyCow, Instagram and TikTok can help travelers find vegan and vegetarian restaurants in holiday destinations around the world. Many traditional dishes around the world are naturally plant-based, and it can also be a fun flavor adventure to visit the local markets to pick out interesting fruits and vegetables you’ve never tried before.
Humane World for Animals also warns against trying so-called local “specialty meats” that often involve extreme animal cruelty – such as shark fin soup, dog or cat meat, crocodile, kangaroo or whale meat. In Iceland, the majority of whale meat is actually consumed by international tourists believing it’s tradition when in fact most Icelanders don’t eat it at all.
8) Avoid riding animals like tourist taxis
(e.g. India, South Africa, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Morocco and Europe)
Riding an elephant, camel or donkey when on holiday may seem like harmless fun, but it’s no fun for the animals who are often subjected to excessively long hours carrying heavy loads without rest. Elephant-back safaris, elephant rides or treks are often promoted to tourists in South Africa and across Asia, especially in India and Thailand. The elephants are usually caught as babies from the wild and brutally ‘broken’ to accept riders.
Camels and donkeys in Egypt, and donkeys in countries across Europe, can be forced to carry tourists without rest breaks or proper shade and refreshment. They receive little or no veterinary treatment for injuries, and all these animals can suffer cruel training methods such as beating with whips and sticks and being chained for hours. On the Greek island of Santorini, donkeys are forced to carry excessively heavy loads, including tourists, up steep inclines. They can be hit with sticks and denied food, water, shade or rest.
Even elephant attractions that may appear harmless, such as bathing with elephants, elephant tracking tests and elephant painting shows, may still subject the animals to cruel training practices, housing conditions and restraint when not ‘performing’. The animals are often controlled using metal bull hooks. Instead of treating animals like a taxi, Humane World for Animals urges travelers to find animal-free modes of transport like walking, electric bicycle or local tuk tuks.