Go forth and travel with kindness.

The world is an incredible place – why wouldn’t you want to explore it? When you do, ensure your hard-earned holiday money isn’t unwittingly supporting cruelty to animals.

These handy travel tips will have you enjoying holiday experiences that are not only incredible, but animal-friendly too!

Zoos often cannot meet even the most basic needs of animals, particularly exotic wildlife. The same goes for marine parks that display dolphins or whales, as the needs of these animals simply cannot be met in captivity. These animals suffer greatly for the sake of ‘entertainment’, their captivity funded by unwitting tourists who pay to see ‘wild animals’. Check out these amazing places to see animals in the wild instead.

Behind the ‘fun’ and photo opportunities with animal rides, there is often hidden cruelty; these animals may be captured from their wild homes, psychologically ‘broken’ through cruel training methods, and forced into a life of deprivation and long working hours, denied the ability to express natural behaviours. A recent exposé by Animal Liberation revealed camels in Australia being subjected to cruel treatment for ‘tourist rides’. Because of animal welfare concerns, leading travel groups like Intrepid Travel have ceased tours involving elephant rides.  Why not contact your local travel company and urge them to join this movement towards more compassionate travel, and stop the promotion of all tours involving animal rides?

Paying a few dollars for a cuddle and a photo with that baby tiger or monkey may prove difficult to resist, but often, animals used for these purposes are taken from the wild, and their mothers killed. Wild animals aren’t born to perform or to pose for photos. Trapped in these ‘tourism’ industries, they can be chained up when not ‘working’, have their teeth removed, be drugged, and be trained cruelly to make them compliant. These ‘picture perfect’ animals can, sadly, lead far from perfect lives.

You can still experience the best of a travel destination while eating food that is kinder to all. Be mindful that behind some ‘local cuisines’ (from foie gras, to frogs legs, to live octopus), the animals suffer greatly. That said, being aware of how your food choices impact animals is important everywhere you go, including at home! Ultimately, the animals categorised as ‘food’ across the globe all think and feel, and are capable of experiencing joy and suffering – just like the companion animals we share our homes and our hearts with.

Never purchase souvenirs made from animals — such as ivory, fur, turtle shell products, or animal skins/pelts. Not only may they have come from an endangered animal (and could land you in some serious trouble at border control!), but they are often the result of an animal’s suffering or death. There are countless other kinder trinkets – from postcards and art to animal-friendly clothes and keepsakes – to bring your memories home with you!

Sometimes, in the quest to get that ‘perfect shot’, tourists can get up too close and personal to wild animals. Sadly, this can stress animals out so much that it may lead birds to abandon their nests or result in animals flying or running into dangerous situations on roads or out of their territory. It’s safest to let wild animals stay wild, leaving them with as much space as they need to move freely and without fear. We’re entering their homes, after all, so it’s best to be respectful.

Before you head off on your big adventure, do some research into the country you’re visiting to find out which potential animal issues you might come across. This can spare you from nasty surprises, and help you avoid unwittingly participating in abusive animal ‘encounters’ such as paying to pet and take selfies with lions, tigers or other big cats. These facilities often falsely claim to be ‘sanctuaries’ or ‘ethical voluntourism’ experiences, but more often than not are breeding and exploiting animals for profit through ‘hands-on experiences’ like cub petting, ‘walking with lions’,  and canned hunting. For the animals, these activities often mean a lifetime of misery, and ultimately death, with no conservation benefits.

Being able to immerse oneself into another culture is a huge drawcard for many prospective travellers, and while we should celebrate cultural differences, keep in mind they are often used to excuse profiting from animal abuse. Cock fighting, bull fighting and rodeos have all been defended as being ‘culturally important’ — but these forms of ‘entertainment’ can cause extreme stress, pain, and even death to animals. Ultimately, many of these so-called ‘cultural’ practices are run in the interest of making a profit. There are many wonderful aspects to cultures the world over that do not involve harming animals, and they’ll leave you with many more positive memories that you will actually want to share when you come home.

Many things we now consider to be morally and ethically unacceptable have at one time or another been defended in the name of ‘tradition’ (don’t forget — Australia was a whaling nation once, too). But calling something a tradition is simply a way of saying that it has been happening for a long time … which, in the case of animal cruelty, is just another reason it should not be supported. It can be difficult for outsiders to challenge events that are considered to be traditional in some areas. But you can ‘vote with your feet’ by simply walking away — and making a note to contact the local tourism board when you return home to tell them why.

There is good and bad everywhere you go, so why not focus on the good and do what you can to help? There are animal sanctuaries and welfare organisations around the world — many that run volunteer programs — why not see if you can get in touch to arrange a visit while you’re in the area? Not only can you gain a better understanding of local animal protection issues, but you might find an opportunity to engage with animals in a way that benefits them (and you too!).

It can be difficult being confronted with animal cruelty, no matter where you are. It’s important to keep in mind that every country has issues that impact animals (and organisations working tirelessly to address them) – including Australia. For example, it’s completely legal for farmed animals in Australia to be subjected to painful mutilations, and without any pain relief.

Being aware of the problems animals face, and empowering yourself to help them in whatever capacity you are able, is far more productive than attacking or attributing blame to entire countries, races, or cultures. Setting a positive example for other countries to follow can be a great way to inspire change overseas! Learn more about some of the major issues facing animals in Australia – and how you can help – by heading to our campaigns page.