According to new new research commissioned by Animals Asia, nearly half (44%) of people in London surveyed have witnessed animal cruelty at a tourist attraction abroad.

Two thirds (64%) would be put off from visiting a country where they think animals are treated badly, and 68% would be put off from booking with a travel company that advertises or sells tickets to attractions where animals are treated badly. 

Animals Asia are calling on ‘welfare whistleblowing’ Brits to report cruel tourist attractions to the charity: 

What the research revealed

More than half of respondents across the UK (51%) felt guilty about the animals and nearly a third (29%) wanted to do something to stop it.  One in ten (9%) said it ruined their holiday. 

Spain was most cited as a country where tourists had witnessed animal cruelty as a tourist attraction, followed by Thailand and then India. 

Elephants were the animal respondents were most likely to have seen being treated cruelly, closely followed by Monkeys and then birds. 

Now, Animals Asia plan to create a dossier of evidence to put pressure on the new labour government to implement a UK law (4) passed last year that could help save animals suffering abroad.

In a world first, the new law - the Animal (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act - was passed to  make it illegal for British travel companies to promote or sell tickets to tourist attractions abroad that don’t meet required animal welfare standards. 

However, the last government failed to implement it with a list of banned activities, leading to further cruelty and suffering for animals across the world.

All too often British holidaymakers unwittingly see animals at tourist attractions who’ve been snatched from their natural habitats and families, then malnourished, locked up or beaten if they don’t perform for tourists.

Examples of the sort of activities that Animals Asia would like to see banned by the government include animals being made to perform, such as riding bicycles, jumping through hoops or unnatural tricks such as hand stands; animals confined in uncomfortable spaces that don't allow them to act naturally or hurt them, such as small cages and pools or being chained to the ground under the sun to make money; tourists being allowed to feed wild animals or interact with them; elephant rides; and trophy hunting.

 The top five countries most cited where respondents witnessed animal cruelty at attractions:

1. Spain
2. Thailand
3. India
4. USA
5. Morocco

The top five animals respondents most likely to have seen being treated cruelly:

1. Elephant
2. Monkey
3. Bird
4. Camel
5. Snake

How you can help

Animals Asia is calling on UK residents to sign their petition for clarification from the new UK government around which tourist attractions will be banned from being sold and promoted under this law.

Additionally, you can also report any animal cruelty that you may have witnessed while abroad after September 2023* by emailing the charity at crueltourism@animalsasia.org

* Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act passed in the UK