Animal Welfare Policy
Travel Counsellors will not promote nor endorse any attractions that have animals in captivity, or where animals are kept for the sole purpose of entertainment. This does not include ‘protected areas’ such as national parks or reserves where animals are free to roam and express natural behaviours.
Travel Counsellors customers will be encouraged to report bad practice where any of the guidelines outlined below are not adhered to.
Five Freedoms
Animal attractions and wildlife excursions will be measured against the Five Freedoms outlined in ABTA’s Global Welfare Guidance for Animals in Tourism.
Feeding: There is an absence of prolonged hunger or thirst in all animals.
Housing: All animals are kept in sufficient housing where they have access to comfort while resting, thermal comfort, and ease of movement.
Health: There is absence of injury, disease, or pain induced by inappropriate housing or management.
Behaviour: Animals are able to express natural behaviours, including social behaviours, in a positive emotional state, with positive human-animal relationship. Non-natural behaviours are not encouraged nor induced.
Protection from Fear: There is an absence of general fear or distress, and animals are able to seek privacy or refuge. There is an absence of surgical or physical modification other than for genuine medical reasons, and animals are regularly checked by specialised veterinarians.
Protection of Endangered Animals
Animal attractions and wildlife excursions must comply with CITES requirements (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which is legally binding.
o Trade of elephants (live or dead) and elephant parts is illegal
o Trade of tigers (live or dead) and tiger parts is illegal
o Trade of primates (live or dead) and primate parts is illegal
o Trade of marine animals (live or dead) and marine animal parts is illegal
o Unless there is a conservation breeding program in place, elephants, tigers, primates and marine mammals should not be acquired from the wild
Unless there is a conservation breeding program in place, elephants, tigers, primates and marine mammals should not be acquired from the wild
Animals in the Wild
Animal viewing and wildlife excursions where animals are in their natural environment or a protected area, will be measured against the following practices.
o Rules and guidelines are in place to protect vulnerable ecosystems e.g. waste management
o A safe distance should be kept, with disturbing sounds kept to a minimum
o For marine wildlife, a vessel distance of minimum 100m to any whale and 50m to any dolphin must be maintained
o Feeding should be limited, encouraging animals to practice natural feeding behaviours e.g. hunting and foraging
o Free-roaming animals in wild should never be touched or picked up
Working animals in tourism can include:
o Equine including horses, donkeys and ponies, used to pull/carry loads or people
o Camels, used to transport goods or people
o Sled dogs, used to transport goods or people
The promotion of practices involving working animals will be measured by animal welfare in relation to the principles of the Five Freedoms, in addition to:
o Animals should have regular rest periods of at least 1 hour between working periods
o Animals should only work within their physical capabilities (loads are not in excess of 15% of their body weight)
o Equipment should be well maintained, fit appropriately, and removed during rest periods
o Tethering is discouraged and should be limited to a few hours a day. Animals should be able to exercise movement without putting tension on the tether, and reach basic resources such as food, water and shade
o Young, pregnant, ill or injured animals should not be ridden or required to carry loads
We recognise that many working animals in tourism provide the sole income for their owner and their families, and that this has been a long tradition within their communities. We support the training and education of these communities to ensure a sustainable livelihood whilst providing appropriate care and management of healthy, working animals.
Unacceptable Practices
Travel Counsellors consider the following practices as unacceptable, both in captive environments and in the wild. o Animal performances based on non-natural behaviour e.g. elephant parades
o Animals used as photographic props involving bad practice e.g. tiger declawing
o Animals used for begging e.g. dancing bears, snake charming
o Animal breeding for commercial trade
o Trophy hunting
o Unlicensed zoos
Travel Counsellors Animal Welfare Policy has been established on guidance taken from The Travel Foundation, ABTA, CITES and the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare.