Animal Welfare Abroad: Tips for Holiday Travellers

Those who travel to foreign countries during the holiday season are often confronted with animal suffering and tourist attractions that are questionable from an animal welfare perspective.

The boundaries between living tradition and tourist commercialism are often fluid. Unscrupulous operators know exactly how to lure holiday travellers and deliberately accept the mistreatment of animals.A fact sheet from the Swiss Animal Protection STS explains the background and provides practical behavioural tips.

Depending on the region of the world and the culture, the way people interact with animals can differ greatly from our Western customs and sensibilities. Holiday travellers are often involuntarily confronted with the topic of animal welfare — for example through the many stray dogs and cats, or when visiting a market. In many countries, the law only inadequately protects animals from cruelty, or the laws are simply not enforced. When it comes to tourist attractions involving animals, holiday travellers themselves have the power to avoid supporting questionable animal spectacles in the first place.

Stray Dogs

Do not attempt to bring stray dogs or cats from your holiday destination into Switzerland. If you would like to give an animal a new home, contact reputable local animal welfare organisations that can advise and assist you. Support a local animal welfare organisation — your donation can help them neuter and vaccinate stray cats and dogs, obtain food, and run a shelter where suitable animals have a chance of being rehomed locally.

Bullfighting and Bull Running

Refrain from attending bullfights and bull runs, and from purchasing bull figurines and other souvenirs connected with bullfighting.

Rodeos

Do not attend rodeos, or raise any observed instances of animal cruelty with the organisers.

Animal fights

Under no circumstances watch animal fights or pay admission to them. Since the fights often take place illegally, you can be held criminally liable even as a spectator. If you witness animal fights involving dogs, bears, horses, or bulls, report this to the police immediately and lodge complaints with embassies and tourist offices.

Dog Racing

Do not attend sporting events involving animals where there is a high risk of injury and large sums of money are wagered. Protest at embassies or tourism offices.

Horse, Donkey, Camel, and Elephant Riding

Do not participate in rides around tourist attractions — especially if you cannot assess the animal husbandry standards, cannot trust the operator, or if the animals make a poor impression (e.g. lame animals, saddle sores causing bleeding, poor hooves). Avoid horse-drawn carriage rides in major cities.

Hunting Tourism and Deep-Sea Fishing

Do not book hunting trips or deep-sea fishing excursions. Do not consume whale or dolphin meat. Protest against hunting tourism at the embassy of your holiday destination.

Animal Training Acts and Circuses

Do not visit circuses while on holiday — especially outside the EU and the USA/Australia. Do not give attention to snake charmers or performances featuring dancing bears; turn your back on them and do not give them money under any circumstances.

Whale Watching, Dolphinariums, and Shark Diving

Do not visit dolphinariums or take part in “swimming with dolphins” or dolphin therapy offerings. Before going on a whale-watching excursion or a dive with sharks, find out exactly what principles your operator follows.

Safari

Choose safari operators according to these criteria: clear rules for interacting with animals, adherence to minimum distances and maximum time limits, small groups, no getting out of the vehicle or touching animals permitted, professional guidance by a wildlife ranger or guide with a zoological background.

Animal Markets and Souvenirs

Do not buy souvenirs for which animals were killed. Refrain from “compassion purchases” of live animals — as a rule, you only increase demand by doing so. Depending on the protected status of the species, you may face criminal liability if you import an animal into Switzerland without the required import permit.