Success: Greek Donkeys No Longer Bear Heavy Burden of Injury and Abuse

Target: Stavros Araxovitis, Greek Minister of Rural Development & Food

Goal: Encourage protections for Greece’s donkeys that shield them from hurt and neglect.

A stirring video of sad-eyed donkeys carrying crushing weight sparked passionate activism, such as in this ForceChange petition. Now, thanks to these committed calls for reform, tourist donkeys in Greece’s Santorini will benefit from a much-improved and more humane standard of living. Each working animal must be provided a proper amount of water, food, and rest. Perhaps more crucially, donkeys will no longer bear the burden of carrying heavy humans; if the animals are sick or otherwise unwell, they cannot be used for tourist riding at all.

For years, many donkeys exploited in the tourism industry suffered whippings, long periods in scorching weather, and the forced carrying of hundreds of pounds of human and other cargo. Transporting larger humans in particular often caused serious injury, including lifelong spinal problems. New rules protect donkeys from carrying people who exceed 220 pounds in weight and keep the animals who are used from tiring in the hot climate by switching out donkeys along the journey. The most disturbing reports of thirsty, hungry animals standing in their own waste will also likely be a horrific image of the past, as more stringent standards for sustenance and rest were put into place by the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

While much work still remains in liberating these animals from slave-like conditions, the latest actions by the Ministry represent an important step forward. They listened and acted, and they can do so again.

Sign the petition below to thank the Ministry for its progression on this important animal welfare issue and to encourage more positive steps in the future.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Minister Araxovitis,

Thousands of people spoke in support of their fellow living beings, and you made an important mediatory step in meeting their pleas for reform. The plight of donkeys in Santorini has long concerned and motivated those who value all life on Earth. Reports and horrific evidence of grotesque injury, neglect, and abuse stirred countless minds and hearts.

Thanks in large part to your concerted efforts, these innocent animals will now have a much better opportunity for a longer, more peaceful life. If these animals could also one day enjoy a liberated life, this would represent the ultimate progression.

As an agency that has demonstrated a willingness to listen and more importantly to act, please consider alternate forms of tourist travel and cargo carrying that do not rely upon exploitation and abuse.

Sincerely,

{Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Norbert Nagel