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(CNN) – A burden has been lifted from the shoulders of the population of donkeys working in Greece.
The country has banned "overweight" tourists from riding animals on the famous island of Santorini, after activists complained of having sustained spinal injuries.
Tourists often pay to ride donkeys on steep slopes from the shoreline to the main city of the island, but carrying heavier travelers has had detrimental effects on creatures and angered campaign groups.
Those wishing to ride on donkeys will now weigh less than 100 kilograms (220 pounds), one-fifth of their body weight.
The animals "should not be loaded with excessive weight in size, age or physical condition," said the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
The guidelines were issued in island regions after the ministry received "numerous complaints and publications on the living conditions and welfare of domestic animals" during the busy summer period.
Santorini has a rough terrain and donkeys often have to take paths too narrow for cars. Activists also complained about the treatment of their owners.
& # 39; Disposable gesture & # 39;
In addition to the weight limits, the guidelines emphasize that animals should be exercised once a day for at least half an hour and have continuous drinking water.
The animal rights group PETA told CNN that this initiative is a "disposable" gesture that "will not prevent the daily suffering that these donkeys endure".
"Donkeys can still be forced to carry a person weighing more than 500 pounds stiff four to five times a day," said Mimi Bekhechi, director of international programs at PETA UK.
Santorini, which sits at the top of a spectacular dormant volcano caldera and is renowned for its incredible sunsets, has seen tourism rise dramatically in recent years, thanks to its popularity among cruise tourists.
