Many of us travel overseas on holiday, often to countries in Asia where animals are widely exploited for profit in many different ways by the tourist industry. As a tourist, your money may support trades and events that profit from animal suffering, pain and death, sometimes without you even knowing about it.
Many common practices seen at holiday destinations such as the use of animals as ‘photo props’ (such as baby monkeys and gibbons, snakes and iguanas) or the use of animals in shows (such as elephant, dolphin or monkey shows) involve immense suffering for the animals involved. Most of the baby animals seen being paraded on the streets for tourists to take their photo with have been taken from the wild; their mothers, or sometimes their whole family, being killed in the process. Many of the animals used in animal shows are mistreated, endure cruel training methods and are kept in small cages or chained up when not performing.
When you are on holiday, you can enjoy the beauty of nature and rich cultural traditions of the countries you visit without taking part in activities that harm animals.
Today's Infobus session with ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society) will explore some of the ways that animals are exploited for the tourism industry and how you can make sure that your activities while on holiday do not have a negative impact on animals. See you today at 1730h!
