Success for the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill

On Friday the 3rd of February, the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill unanimously passed its second reading. Sponsored by Angela Richardson MP, the Bill would make it illegal for travel companies in the UK to sell and advertise cruel animal activities that take place abroad.

There are up to 550,000 wild animals suffering for tourist entertainment in wildlife attractions worldwide. Wild animals are kept in cruel conditions and exploited for human entertainment, such as swim-with-dolphin experiences, tiger selfies, and elephant rides to name a few. 

Animal experiences 

The suffering inflicted on animals trapped in wildlife entertainment starts the moment they are captured in the wild or bred in captivity. For example, Asian elephants are forced to perform unnatural acts such as giving rides or shows. The cruel methods used to train these highly intelligent animals includes beatings, separation from their mother at an early age (around 2 years old), restraint with minimal movement, and isolation. The enclosures elephants are kept in are inadequate for their needs – the home range of Asian elephants varies between 30km² and 600km², an area that can never be replicated in captivity. 

Similarly, dolphins are kept in barren tanks which will never replicate their homes in the wild. In the wild, dolphins can swim 100km a day, however the average tank size used at dolphin facilities is over 200,000 times smaller than their home range. There are more than 3,000 dolphins in captivity being exploited at tourist venues across the world. A ban on promoting these experiences in the UK market will help end this cruel trade and ensure that this is the last generation of dolphins in captivity.  

The problem

Low welfare wildlife attractions and animal experiences abroad, such as swimming with dolphins and elephant rides, are promoted and sold widely by mainstream travel companies in the UK. By selling and promoting these venues, companies such as TUI, AttractionTickets.com, GetYourGuide, Jet2holidays, and Trip.com, are profiting from animal exploitation and fuelling the problem. 

This year marks 30 years since the last dolphinarium closed in the UK. Whilst the majority of the UK public do not find dolphinariums acceptable, we are allowing travel companies to support cruelty by selling and advertising dolphin experiences abroad to UK customers.

Whilst we are unable to stop other countries operating these experiences abroad, we can stop the sale and advertisement of them within the UK. This is why we are calling on the government to pass Angela Richardson MP’s Bill that would make the domestic sale and advertisement of low-welfare animal activities abroad illegal. 

MPs supporting the Bill

We were pleased to see such strong support for the Bill and so many MPs speak in favour of a ban. 

Angela Richardson MP (sponsoring the Bill) reminded the Government of the commitments it made under its Action Plan for Animal Welfare ‘in line with setting a global example on animal welfare, we also want to make sure that businesses do not benefit from selling attractions, activities or experiences to tourists involving unacceptable treatment of animals.’

Luke Pollard MP highlighted the suffering caused by animals when performing. Of dolphin selfies he said, ‘this practice causes incredible stress to the animals. We know that dolphins and other sea creatures are sentient and feel pain, and the treatment involved in getting a dolphin to swim next to people and perform when they take their selfies is horrendous.’

Holly Lynch MP stated her support for the Bill and explained why the government must pass the Bill: ‘by advertising, promoting and selling these experiences, usually to unknowing consumers, UK-based travel companies are complicit in the cruelty.’

We were delighted that Trudy Harrison MP, Minister at Defra, confirmed that the government is supporting the Bill.

'The Government takes the welfare of all animals seriously and are committed to raising standards of animal welfare both at home and abroad. Introducing domestic advertising bans sends a strong signal from the Government that the only acceptable tourist attractions are ones where the animals do not suffer and that contributes to the UK’s position as a world leader on animal welfare.’

We will continue to update you on the progress of this Bill. 

Wild animals deserve the right to a wild life, free from suffering. They are not commodities to be exploited. They are not ours to exploit. 

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In line with setting a global example on animal welfare, we also want to make sure that businesses do not benefit from selling attractions, activities or experiences to tourists involving unacceptable treatment of animals.