The issue of animal rights has triggered a lot of discussion and debate all over the globe for many years, with various countries and cultures having their own views on how animals should be treated. Some countries uphold strong animal rights laws, while others don’t offer much in the way of protection for furry, feathered, and scaly friends.
Plenty of progress has been made in regard to animal rights worldwide in recent years, but there’s still a lot to be done. Many tourist attractions, for example, exploit animals for profit, but leading travel site, Trip Advisor, has decided to take a stand.
In a statement shared on its site, Trip Advisor says it will “no longer sell tickets to, or generate revenue from, any attraction that continues to contribute to the captivity of future generations of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises).”
This is a big move for animal rights campaigners, many of whom have been urging Trip Advisor, and other sites, to cease dealing with these kinds of attractions.
Campaigners, as well as marine biologists and other experts, argue that animals like orcas and dolphins simply aren’t suited for a life in captivity.
Studies have even shown that the life expectancy for these creatures dramatically decreases when they’re kept in enclosures and used for entertainment, rather than be allowing to swim freely and live their natural lives.
In the statement, Trip Advisor confirms that it has consulted with leading marine biologists and conservationists in order to come to its decision, considering all the evidence and arguments on both sides.
In the end, the decision appeared to be an easy one to make as Trip Advisor’s statement called the evidence “compelling”, adding that “Whales and dolphins do not thrive in limited captive environments, and we hope to see a future where they live as they should—free and in the wild.”
Conservationists and animal welfare supporters have hailed the move, with Dr. Naomi Rose of the Animal Welfare Institute saying that the company had chosen to be on “the right side of history”, while Nick Stewart from World Animal Protection said that Trip Advisor was sending “a clear message to other travel companies that we must end this cruel industry once and for all.”
The policy will be rolled out in the coming months, set to be fully active by the end of the year.
Users of Trip Advisor will therefore no longer be presented with the opportunity to buy tickets for any attractions that plan to continue keeping whales and dolphins in captivity and are making no efforts to seek alternative solutions.
Attractions with animals in captivity for now will still have their tickets sold on the site, as long as they’re actively working towards stopping breeding or importing, or developing another solution that works for the animals and provides them with the lives they deserve. Trip Advisor representatives confirmed that the policy would effectively apply to major tourist attractions like SeaWorld, as well as smaller attractions and non-profits.
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