Whether it’s taking a horse and carriage ride through the streets of Italy, riding a donkey in Greece or traversing parts of the Sahara Desert atop a camel, visiting destinations and activities involving animals have been inextricably linked for as long as we can remember.

While a journey through Santorini’s streets on the back of a donkey may elevate your time in this photographic Greek location, there’s much to consider when thinking of the animals involved in such tourism. A new video surfaced last month from PETA Asia showing camels used for rides at the Great Pyramid of Giza and other top Egyptian attractions being beaten, prodded, tied up and forced to walk on their knees.

“Behind every camel-ride photo posted online is a hideously violent trade that leaves camels beaten and bloodied before ultimately sending them to slaughter,” said Ingrid Newkirk, president, PETA. “PETA urges every traveler to leave animal rides off their itineraries in Egypt and worldwide.”

These instances aren’t specific to Egypt. Donkeys used for tours in Santorini, Greece, must climb more than 600 crooked steps, even in the middle of summer. The stress of such climbs has led to increased incidents of spinal injuries, saddle sores and exhaustion in donkeys. In response to pleas to stop using donkeys for such purposes, Santorini introduced a five-cabin cable car in 2019 to decrease the use of travel by donkey.

Many destinations around the world also see horse-drawn carriages as a popular tourist attraction. In Killarney, Ireland, several companies use jaunting cars to bring tourists through some of Ireland’s most beautiful (and hilly) terrain. These companies force horses to pull wagons or carriages filled with tourists up the lengthy mountain.

Interestingly enough, simply searching “horse abuse” and “jaunting cars” online leads to many articles and reviews of specific companies in Killarney. In fact, you won’t find any other destination mentioned on the first page of the search. Tourists have often taken to TripAdvisor to report examples of horse abuse in Killarney, noting how operators of jaunting cars are mean to the horses.

We’ve all also heard of elephant rides in Asia. In early March 2023, CNN shed light on what years of tourist rides do to an elephant, looking particularly at elephants in Thailand. Many elephants used for tourist attractions are often abused and exploited. It’s not uncommon for these elephants to die of exhaustion or malnutrition. The elephants that survive suffer permanent damage to their backs, as well as psychological damage.

And there’s theme parks where orcas and dolphins are confined to small tanks. While dolphinaria (dolphin aquariums) with performances and show are banned in the United States, they exist in other parts of the world, drawing millions of tourists every year. Former dolphin trainers have come forward over the years, detailing abuse suffered by dolphins at venues in Mexico. These dolphins are often deprived of food, forced to breed, are used as live surfboards and locked in pools thousands of times smaller than their natural habitat.

While orca abuse received international attention thanks to documentaries and articles, orca performances continue to go on, even in the United States. PETA called out SeaWorld in 2020 for its treatment of orcas, but SeaWorld isn’t the only park or company to blame.

As you make plans for travel in 2023 and into 2024, please think about the conditions some animals are forced to endure. If you’d like to learn more about animal abuse and tourism, visit World Animal Protection’s official website.

Do you think countries should outlaw animal tourism? What are your thoughts on these practices? Tell us your thoughts. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.