Animal Welfare

Exodus Travels’ Animal Welfare Policy

As a sustainable travel company, we believe that our tours should in no way negatively impact the welfare of animals we encounter along the way and should, where possible, benefit their welfare and contribute towards their protection. We recognise that ensuring this happens is an ongoing process and are committed to continuously assessing any animal interaction, be it passive or active, which takes place on our trips. 

Our animal welfare policy is largely based on ABTA’s global and industry-leading animal welfare guidelines, towards the development of which Exodus Travels contributed, alongside others in the industry and a number of animal welfare experts.

Contributing towards the welfare and conservation of animals on our trips is just one of the ways we seek to deliver on our Nature Net Positive commitment – enduring our adventures give far more back to nature than they take. This includes our support of wildlife conservation through our partnership with Rewilding Europe, and the through the work of The Exodus Travels Foundation. 

Our animal welfare policy

Exodus Travels deems the following practices as unacceptable and does not offer these as activities on tour, either included or optional:

•Physical interaction with wild animals such as holding, petting or taking photos where the animal does not have the choice of terminating the interaction and moving away

•Performances involving wild animals where the training involves punishment or food deprivation and causes animal fear, injury or distress, or where the tasks are not based on normal behaviour

•Physical interaction with elephants and/or elephant shows for tourists

•‘Walking with’ wild cats, such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, etc.

•Physical interaction or feeding of wild animals such as crocodiles, sloths, chimpanzees, orcas, etc. whether in captivity or in the wild

•Ostrich riding

•Using animals for begging, such as snake charming, monkeys on chains, dancing bears, etc.

•Animals being used for fighting, such as bull fighting, cockfighting, dog fighting, etc. 

•Drugging of animals to subdue them 

•Trade and sale of endangered wildlife products or consumption of meat from endangered animals

•Rodeo events that conduct calf-roping, team-roping, steer wrangling and other activities which are detrimental to the animals’ wellbeing

•Hunting of any kind

•Activities involving captive whales and dolphins

Exodus Travels commits to only visiting establishments where animals are held in captivity (such as animal refuges and sanctuaries) when the following criteria are met:

•The facility’s primary function is for the protection of specific animals or of the species

•All the nutritional, environmental, social, physical and mental needs are met to a good standard

•All other animal welfare standards are met

Exodus Travels uses working animals on several trips, such as mules or yaks for carrying equipment during treks, dog sledding or riding horses and/or camels. Exodus Travels commits to only using working animals when the following criteria are met: 

•All the nutritional, environmental, social, physical and mental needs are met to a good standard

•Tethering or hobbling during non-working periods should be kept to a minimum and should allow for the animal to stand, lie, and access food, water and shade without putting tension in the tether

•Animals which are young, elderly, injured, ill, distressed or pregnant should not be ridden or required to carry loads

•Any equipment used should fit comfortably and not cause distress or injury

•Animals should only train/work within their physical capabilities (e.g. loads carried should be appropriate for the animal’s weight and size)

When viewing animals in the wild, Exodus Travels commits to the following: 

•Groups viewing wildlife should be kept to a reasonable number of members

•Groups viewing wildlife should keep a reasonable distance from the wildlife

•Groups viewing wildlife should always be accompanied by professional guides, rangers or other staff who can inform tourists on how to behave around the wildlife

•Animals should never be charged, cornered or boxed in

•Wildlife should never be touched or fed by tourists

•The animal’s welfare takes priority over the visitor’s experience 

Should you have any concerns or questions around animal welfare on any of our adventures, get in touch at SustainableTravel@exodustravels.com. Read more about how we ensure our adventures improve life for people, places and planet here.