Mules and donkeys used at tourist sites — from Greek island steps to Moroccan souks and Petra in Jordan — face welfare challenges that tourists can address through their choices.
Tourist working animals face welfare challenges driven by economic pressure to maximise income from each animal during peak visitor seasons. Overloading, excessive working hours, inadequate food and water, harsh handling, and lack of veterinary care are common. Some of the world most visited heritage sites have poor working animal welfare records. However, tourist expectations are a powerful lever — welfare-conscious tourists who refuse to use poorly kept animals and who engage with site operators about standards are agents of change. Some organisations including World Animal Protection have partnerships with heritage sites to improve standards in response to tourist demand.