‘Wildlife has the right to a wild life’ – that’s the message in G Adventures’ new leading-edge animal welfare policy that bans guests from coming into contact with animals whether they’re in captivity or in the wild.
Released today, on World Animal Day, G Adventures’ new animal welfare policy was created alongside leading animal rights organisations to ensure creatures of all kinds remain unaffected by tourists.
Read on for more details:
IS THIS THE SAME AS G’S PREVIOUS WILDLIFE POLICY?
Image: G Adventures
No, this policy supersedes the one introduced in 2015.
For the first time, G Adventures worked with World Animal Protection, the Jane Goodall Institute, and the World Cetacean Alliance to create the new policy that reiterates previous clauses and introduces a few new ones.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES?
“Wild animals can’t be tamed without cruelty.”
A key part of the new policy is ensuring travellers understand that if something wouldn’t occur in the wild, then it shouldn’t occur in an animal park.
For example, you wouldn’t sit next to a lion to take a photo in Africa, and you shouldn’t be able to do so in a zoo.
“Is it fair to sedate the animal for entertainment? Never,” G Adventures’ stressed.
The policy, which was summed up in a two-minute video (above), also points out that you wouldn’t hop on an elephant’s back and go for a ride while on a safari, nor would you try to feed a shark while swimming in the ocean.
“Animals will always pursue food, even if it puts themselves and you in a risky situation,” G Adventures explained. “Let animals find their own food naturally.”
Another feature of the policy is helping travellers find signs of captivity or mistreatment, such as looking out for cages, and anything else preventing them from behaving naturally.
It then goes on to encourage travellers to look for activities that encourage wildlife to be themselves in their own habitat because “wildlife has the right to a wild life”.
WHY DID G RELEASE THE POLICY?
Image: G Adventures
Because G Adventures wants wildlife to continue having the right to live a wild life.
Also, it’s one of G Adventures’ many ‘G for Good’ commitments, and it builds on the Global Welfare Guidance for Animals in Tourism announced in 2015 by ABTA UK.
FYI, G Adventures is also feeding into the updating and revision of the ABTA Guidance that’ll launch later this year.
“No one in the travel industry is perfect, and we ourselves aren’t perfect, but we must learn as we grow.”
Jamie Sweeting, G Adventures Vice President of Social Enterprise & Responsible Travel
“Our world’s animals are one of our greatest treasures and it’s our job to respect them and to protect them for their future generations, as well as our own,” Jamie added.
HOW WILL IT AFFECT GUESTS?
Image: G Adventures
The animal welfare policy will be built into G Adventures’ traveller conduct policy, and into staff contracts.
Travellers will be encouraged to contact the operator’s new task force with any issues or mistreatments they see throughout their journeys.
“We want people to not just abide by the policy, but to monitor the behaviours of others and alert us when they see anyone who might be causing, often unintentionally, harm to the animals we share our planet with.”
Jamie Sweeting, G Adventures Vice President of Social Enterprise & Responsible Travel
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