There’s a whole world to experience out there, and this summer, many of us may be setting off for the holiday of a lifetime. Whether you’re travelling halfway across the world or opting for a staycation on British shores, there are kinder choices to be made for every different taste of adventure! 

Don’t make decisions on the hoof 

Across the globe, horse and donkey experiences dominate many culture’s travel offerings. Whilst many of these can seem innocent and fun enough, it is important to ensure the animals involved in these experiences are properly cared for and respected.  

How can you tell if the care is there though? Horses and donkeys should be in healthy shape, well-kept, and shouldn’t be struggling and forced to work through extreme temperatures.  

To avoid any uncertainty, a kinder alternative all together, would of course be to avoid experiences that use animals for transportation or entertainment. With opportunities to cycle, segway, event take a walking tour, the alternatives are vast and suit so many different travel styles. If you’re still keen to include animal experiences in your trip, why not take a trip to a sanctuary or animal-friendly experience in the local area instead? 

Animal trinket? Maybe re-think it. 

We all love to grab a gift or two to commemorate our travels, but trinkets from the humble fridge magnet or keyring can escalate to more elaborate and cruel pieces that could potentially include animal parts. Extreme examples can include bones as jewellery or animal skins, even keyrings with living insects or small fish trapped inside. 

Instead, why not support local artists or craftspeople? Ethical markets, galleries, stores and more are filled with beautiful pieces to suit every budget and are choc-full of beautiful unique trinkets and pieces that last forever and avoid using animal products. With so much creativity and so many different materials out there, there really is no reason for animal parts to be used anymore. 

Instagram isn’t worth the reality  

With many famous figures recently glamourising ‘close contact’ animal experiences such as cub petting, tiger selfies and elephant rides, we want to reiterate the inherent cruelty behind these ‘instagrammable’ moments. 

Animals who have been raised and conditioned to behave in these ways have often come from cruel backgrounds, unable to express their natural behaviours, unable to express true freedom and kept in deplorable conditions where their health and wellbeing are neglected in place of profit.  

Find out more here. 

For a kinder experience where you can witness the beauty of wildlife in the true natural state, why not enjoy a photographic safari or take a visit to one of our global sanctuaries? 

Ecotourism is, thankfully, on the rise! Offering so many kind and conscientious opportunities to appreciate our natural world in a healthy and sustainable way.  

Our sanctuaries provide a wonderful opportunity for guests to witness the animals we have rescued in natural surrounds. The observation opportunities are subtle, meaning that the human presence of our guests doesn’t impact the day-to-day life of the animals in our sanctuaries and visitors can witness the true behaviours of wild animals. 

Find out more about our Sanctuaries here. 

With every choice you make on your trip this summer, we encourage you to do your research. Ensuring the choices you make on your holiday to appreciate animals and wildlife are the kindest they can be, will only enhance your experience and you’ll be able to enjoy a summer full of fun, kindness and genuinely wonderful and wild experiences!