Interior safaris East Africa believes that a robust animal welfare policy is an essential part of a commitment to responsible tourism of making the world a better place.
We believe that tourism can be a mean for a positive animal experience. however, where such experiences are not carefully managed or do not exhibit high welfare standards there is potential to jeopardize animal welfare, the well-being of the local community or the travelers’ safety.
Around the world, there is a great deal of variation in attitudes towards animal welfare in tourism, which is why Interior safaris East Africa has adopted guidelines developed by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) in conjunction with the Born Free Foundation, a third-party organization whose mission it is to protect vulnerable animals from abuse. We use these organizations as well as others, including World Animal Protection, to inform our decisions regarding which activities to include or exclude when developing our tours.
Interior safaris East Africa opposes and discourages practices that are illegal and those that have a negative impact on animal protection and welfare. We also prohibit activities where travelers come into direct contact with animals meant for the wild, particularly where animals are touched or fed by visitors or are used as props for photo opportunities.We do not condone tourist activities that are unnatural to wildlife or endanger animals such as elephant or ostrich riding, unlicensed zoos, snake charming or any sanctuary that practices breeding for commercial trade.
Along with the ABTA, our vision is that all animals encountered while on an Interior safaris East Africa tour are treated humanely, with respect and in accordance with transparent and robust animal welfare standards that adhere to ABTA’s Five Freedoms:
The Five Freedoms are:
- Freedom from hunger and thirst
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury or disease
- Freedom to express normal behavior
- Freedom from fear and distress
These are the minimum requirements, which we expect of our partners or suppliers whose business involves or impacts animals.
We recognize that by working together with all stakeholders we have the greatest potential to achieve wide-reaching and long lasting positive change; however, failure to adhere to this code of conduct may be grounds for terminating our relationship, depending on the seriousness of the violation and the particular circumstances.
In line with this policy, Interior safaris East Africa does not promote activities that bring tourists into direct contact with Animals. For more information visit our website on Animal welfare policy