Withlocals supports cruelty-free traveling. Cruelty-free experiences are harmless and don’t affect the natural environment or the species within it.
📸 Photographing Animals
Taking photographs of animals is wonderful, but only of happy and wild creatures. We don't condone paying to take pictures of animals, as this often means the animal is trained to pose in a way for the cameras and humans are using & mistreating animals for their own economic gain.
🐅 Animal 'sanctuaries'
Withlocals tours should stay away from places that have animals in captivity as we do not support any mistreatment of animals. There are ethical places that work to conserve animal populations and introduce them back to the wild as well as protecting them from potential poachers. However, these places are normally very big and allow the animals to run wild and free. If animals are in small enclosures, used for entertainment purposes for humans, allow human interaction, or have breeding programs (when the animal is not endangered), they are not ethical sanctuaries.
🍞 Feeding Animals & Touching Animals
Respect animals by keeping your distance and giving them peace. Aside from that avoid feeding them, as often any kind of food that isn't from their natural environment, can be damaging to them.
🐘 Elephant Riding
This is 100% prohibited on any Withlocals tour as scare and pain tactics are forced upon the elephants for them to accept humans riding them. It is not natural in any way for elephants to have humans on their back, that is why we do not condone any elephant riding.
✅ Enjoy seeing animals in the wild
✅ Support ethical conservation efforts in national parks or centers
✅ If you do ride animals, do so with domestic animals that are well cared for such as horses
❌ Don't pay to take photos of animals
❌ Do not partake in any kind of hunting or unethical fishing of endangered animals
❌ Don't visit places that offer animal entertainment or performance
❌ Do not purchase any souvenirs or materials coming from poaching or animal cruelty (ivory, snake wine, Kopi luwak coffee)
** If you feel any of the Withlocals experience partake or promote any of these activities, please report to info@withlocals.com