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Greece has issued new regulations to protect working donkeys, including banning overweight tourists from riding them after some animals have been paralyzed.
The policies were published by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food of the European nation, the Greek City Times reported on Tuesday. Many complaints were filed in the summer, prompting the government to take action.
«Working equines [a broad term for donkeys or horses] should not be overweight for their height, age or physical condition. The load can not exceed the weight of 100 kg, one fifth of their body weight, "says the regulation. In addition, the policy requires that "animals receive adequate and sufficient food and fresh drinking water, in containers that can not be contaminated and are cleaned at least once a day".
SAKIS MITROLIDIS / AFP / Getty Images
Animal rights activists warned that donkeys, especially on the tourist island of Santorini, were forced to work long hours, seven days a week, while carrying "excessive" charges. They stated that some animals suffered spinal injuries, as well as open wounds from poorly fitting stools.
"It is recommended that animals do not carry more than 20% of their body weight," said a spokesman for the charity Help the Donor Santorini Donkeys, according to Yahoo7 News.
"Obese and overweight tourists, combined with lack of shade and water, pure heat and 568 paved steps, are at the root of such a problem," he said. added the spokesperson.
Activists even organized demonstrations in the Greek capital, Athens, to raise awareness of the fate of donkeys. Elisavet Chatzi, 45, who joined the movement, hailed the government's decision as a positive step.
"It's a very big step, I think all our hard work has paid off," said the British newspaper activist Metro. "We won our fight thanks to the attention of the international media on the subject. Nobody could ever believe that new regulations would be established. "
Donkeys are frequently used in Santorini and other Greek islands to transport tourists on steep, craggy, unpaved terrain. While tourism has reached a record, with 32 million visitors expected this year, animals have been under increasing pressure. Environmental activists have also warned of the broader implications of growing numbers of tourists on the country's picturesque islands.
"We can not have small islands, with small communities, hosting a million tourists in a few months. The infrastructure may not be prepared and become a boomerang if we focus solely on numbers and do not seek to develop a more sustainable tourism model, "said Nikos Chrysogelos, a prominent environmentalist. The Guardian this summer.
Although taking steps to protect donkeys may be a small part of risk management, some do not view regulation as going far enough.
"We were pleased with the newsletter because our organization aims to shed light on the situation and engage in conversation," said Maria Skourta, 42, head of the Athenian branch of Direct Action Everywhere, a liberation group. animal. Metro.
"But our goal is not to improve the lives of slaves, but to liberate them entirely," she said. "[While this means they will stop carrying overweight tourists]donkeys are still forced to carry cement, appliances and all kinds of heavy goods vehicles.
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