Now that travel is picking up again…this needs to be heard again…
Donkey Abuse - DO NOT RIDE THEM!
I know there are going to be upset people saying there she goes again, but until things change...I will continue to voice this as it needs to be said/heard. The only way to make an impact and change something as big as this is to be persistent and continue to spread the word. So please help pass along my story as well as the stories from the others who have shared theirs on my threads...Thank YOU from the bottom of my heart.
I typically do not take the time to reach out to make my feedback known, but this one has scarred me to the point where I cannot disregard it. It was absolutely horrific to witness how the donkeys have been used (and abused) in Santorini. I went to dinner at the Fish Tavern in Ammoudi Bay in July, and I sat in shock as I watched the donkeys in the scorching heat go up and down every few minutes without a break/without water/without food. It was incredibly heartbreaking to see as the donkeys were being whipped in the face despite their utter exhaustion. The next day I saw the same thing happening on repeat, so I took a minute to stop and pet the donkeys. I asked if they get breaks/food and water, and the man pretended he didn't speak English (when I previously heard him speak English). You could literally feel the desperation and fear by just looking at the donkey's faces. Witnessing this treatment ruined our honeymoon as it was unbearable to put on a smile and pretend that I did not see what I did. I will not go back to Santorini because of this, and I will be sharing this experience with my entire network of friends/family and beyond. This needs to be stopped as it is beyond cruel to the animals. Giving them back-breaking work in extreme heat and working them to exhaustion is unacceptable. I was told that when it is off season the donkeys are then used to carry debris up and down the cliffs- so there is no end for them, which is gut-wrenching to even hear about. I hope this resonates with you and you all do not ride the donkeys to play into this abuse. The animals have no voice, and everyone I talked to there agreed with me on how horrible this situation is, but they say there isn't anything that can be done. I will share my experience to no end until actions are taken. Voice this to as many people as you can, share this experience and demand change with me. Unbelievably cruel to these animals.
There are so many tourists who I witnessed who are blind (or act blind) to all of this and just ride up the donkeys, laughing, taking pictures, waving as if they are a king/queen, all while ignoring the fact of what is actually happening...supporting this business = this will never end. So STOP riding the donkeys and PLEASE help spread the word. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate you reading this and for any and all help that you all can give to this case.
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