Santorini donkeys

[realtysandy]

I was in Santorini in May and chose to take the tram up the hill instead of the donkeys and decided on walking down the stairs. What I saw was horrendous. The donkeys were in such bad shape, tongues swollen and outside the mouths, raw spots on their snouts from where the rusty soat hanger muzzles were imbedding themselves, no food or water provided for the animals, and a few looked as though they were moments from dying. I am by no means an animal activist but this suckened me. Sure there were many donkeys in grand shape but one can also see how they are worn down to a painful existance. I will be posting photos within the week anywhere I can.

 

Please..please...spend the $4 on the tram instead of the $5 on the donkeys...it is sooooo cruel and heartbreaking to see the shape of many of them.

[tartanexile81]

I was in Santorini in May and chose to take the tram up the hill instead of the donkeys and decided on walking down the stairs. What I saw was horrendous. The donkeys were in such bad shape, tongues swollen and outside the mouths, raw spots on their snouts from where the rusty soat hanger muzzles were imbedding themselves, no food or water provided for the animals, and a few looked as though they were moments from dying. I am by no means an animal activist but this suckened me. Sure there were many donkeys in grand shape but one can also see how they are worn down to a painful existance. I will be posting photos within the week anywhere I can.

 

Please..please...spend the $4 on the tram instead of the $5 on the donkeys...it is sooooo cruel and heartbreaking to see the shape of many of them.

 

Could not agree more!!! I was close to tears when I saw these poor animals, trudging up that sheer cliff face in the blazing heat carrying the weight of large adults. Anybody with an ounce of humanity would either walk or take the cable car up. The queue for the cable car moves really quickly and Santorini is well worth it. We were actually advised against using the donkeys in our port preview for Santorini when we were on Celebrity Summit but that was because of the terrible smell it leaves on you and your clothes. Whatever the reason PLEASE DO NOT USE THE DONKEYS.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Hi, Sandy,

 

We were on that cruise and I couldn't agree more. Wrung my heart to see them. Using the tram was an easy choice and we had decided it before arriving on Santorini.

 

There was a post from a donkey sanctuary critical of the use of the donkeys yesterday or the day before but it is now gone.

 

People have to make their own decisions about these things. Everyone answers to their own conscience, so all we can do is state what we saw and hope people think about it.

 

While I'm at it, I'll repeat that for anyone who is a dog lover, we saw dogs lying around many ruins in Athens and also on Santorini. Our tour guide told us that they were abandoned by their families. So, if you have a spare 3 inches in your suitcase, slip in a ziploc bag of dog bones and you'll be rewarded as you travel in Greece! The dogs didn't follow us, just accepted the treats and went back to the shade....

[dmackay46]

Thanks guys for taking the time to post this valuable information.

 

My post was removed yesterday by the administrators. Here is the link to 'The Donkey Sanctuary' who are trying to improve their situation:-

 

http://drupal.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/campaign/santorini

[cruiser620]

Agree with previous posters -- PLEASE do not take the donkeys up the cliff. There is no reason to. The argument that people have been using the donkeys as "beasts of burden" for centuries is ridiculous. We live in modern times now and there are alternatives. From what I observed, the donkeys were nothing more than "things" to the men whipping them in the burning hot sun, rather than living beings. The abuse of these animals will not stop as long as tourists think it is "cute" for picture taking. And no, I'm not an "animal rights nut".

[realtysandy]

I am not sure how to post the pictures I have or put in the link to my facebook page of the donkeys. I hope this works..

 

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5682378&id=504174602

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Hi, Sandy, I tried to go to the link but it didn't work.....maybe my operator error. It took me to Fbook but said it was unavailable...

[little britain]

I posted of our experience of Santorini a few years back.

We were walking down the hill, when a young man on the back of a donkey came racing up the hill. He was hitting the donkey repeatedly to make him go faster and faster, up the slope, scattering tourists everywhere.

My DH shouted at the man to stop hitting the donkey. The man then raised the stick to DH and went to hit him. People around us started crying, but the man didn't actually DH but it was very menacing. We shouted at him some more - I guess he offered some choice Greek swear words. He rode off up the hill.

It was very very distressing, and I said I would never ever go back to Santorini again. I though the whole exploitation and treatment of the animals was disgusting.

[zqvol]

Sorry but I have to disagree completely. I was in Santorini yesterday and the donkeys are well cared for and in excellent condition. Donkeys have been used for tasks like this for millenia, you are depriving yourself of a wonderful experience if you avoid the donkeys.

[CoralReef]

I agree with the OP. The donkeys looked hot, tired, miserable and were obviously treated as expendable. I walked *down* the stairs and was tired... how would you like to walk up them many times a day with a fat tourist on your back? Please take the tram or walk for the exercise.

[realtysandy]

ZQVOL....hmm..hard to disagree with pictures. Just google "santorini donkeys" to see other pics...facebook search "Santorini Donkeys" and look at pics there (i posted mine there too)....raw skin, rusty coat hanger muzzles, poor poor shape, no food or drink to be found, many looking to be on the verge of death...these animals were not well cared for.

 

Absolutely there were several donkeys in great shape...thats this month..then once you look at the pictures from tourists you can see the shape they will be in next year (or sooner).

 

As I said...I am no animal activist but what I saw drove me to tears...it was just plain cruel.

[dmackay46]

Hi Sandy,

 

Hope you don't mind, i've uploaded two of your recent photos of a Santorini donkey and mule from facebook.

 

I certainly would have concerns for the donkey:- Soaking with sweat, rub marks from its tack, sores on its hocks on its back legs, miserable and standing in its own diarrhoea.

 

The home made wire muzzle on the mule is far too tight and digging into its mouth and nose.

 

Definately not acceptable!

 

Laura

[Catnip]

Could not agree more!!! I was close to tears when I saw these poor animals, trudging up that sheer cliff face in the blazing heat carrying the weight of large adults. Anybody with an ounce of humanity would either walk or take the cable car up.

 

I totally agree. I was horrified to see those poor animals stagger and strain under the weight of the tourists and from the extreme heat. That is totally cruelty to animals and should be stopped. I saw some of the poor donkeys stagger and scrape the side of the buildings. It was terrible. :mad:

[JannieAnne]

"you are depriving yourself of a wonderful experience if you avoid the donkeys. "

 

zqvol: why is riding donkey a wonderful experience when alternative transport is available???? What is so wonderful about it??? The donkeys smell and the path is quite steep making it challenging to stay on. I can't understand why anyone would want to do it. We were there in 2008 and we were very glad we walked down.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Hi Sandy,

 

Hope you don't mind, i've uploaded two of your recent photos of a Santorini donkey and mule from facebook.

 

I certainly would have concerns for the donkey:- Soaking with sweat, rub marks from its tack, sores on its hocks on its back legs, miserable and standing in its own diarrhoea.

 

The home made wire muzzle on the mule is far too tight and digging into its mouth and nose.

 

Definately not acceptable!

 

Laura

 

To those who are contemplating riding the donkeys, take a look at the photos and make your decision. If you have doubts, which I would think any person would, follow your instincts and ride the tram.

 

"Ride the donkeys" sounds like "ride the pony at the fair"....but this is not riding around in a circle.

 

It is up a very steep cliff, in blazing heat, in crowded conditions, on slippery surfaces...over and over and over, all day long, with the burden of heavy human beings on their backs. Add issues of documentation of sub-standard equipment, photos of donkeys with open sores from that equipment, documentation of donkeys being struck with sticks as they struggle up the cliff--it is hard to see how this is accceptable.

 

If this is going to be maintained the donkeys deserve adequate rest and water breaks, protection from equipment that causes rubbing and sores, protection from inhumane treatment. I think there is adequate concern that they DO NOT currently have those basic requirements of a humane existence at all times.

 

The argument that donkeys have been doing work like this for centuries makes me wonder why this would be an old tradition we'd like to preserve. As a global society we've moved along far enough that humane treatment of animals is a fairly universal concern.

[Pochahontas]

Thank you so much for posting this information, I was lead to believe that there were proper welfare protection for these animals and I also thought that they were very well taken care of, obviously they are not. We are due to be in Santorini in August, I will definitely be taking the tram, better still a ship excursion that includes a tram ticket for the passage down.

 

Last year I was appalled at some of the stalls in "Las Ramblas" in Barcelona. I never took any photos as I was so disgusted with them for keeping animals in appalling conditions. They had wild hedgehog babies in glass tanks in the full sun, which had to be close to 100 degrees plus, they had chipmunks, ducks the lot, absolutely horrendous. Based on that it has put me right off Spain as a holiday destination.

 

When ever I am in Europe I simply do not go on any animal rides. Across Europe it is heartbreaking to see wonderful animals abused in this way.

 

The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon is a wonderful place, my Eldest Daughter rode one at a local fare when we were there visiting friends when she was little, she gained a rosette for the donkey that had been retired to a happy place.

 

Again thank you for highlighting this,

[realtysandy]

Thanks for posting the pics...I am not computer savvy and it took me until now to figure it out (and of course read the directions). I never gave the donkeys a thought and when I saw the shape of them I was heart broken. Here are the photos again to help you make an educated decision as to whether you want to spent $4 on the tram which gives you the most breathtaking views, very quick (and you dont smell afterwards ;)) or contribute to the shape of these animals for $5 and stink for the rest of the day.

 

Yes there are lots of donkeys in great shape...just like these ones were likely 6 months ago.

[jennywren46]

We were there a few years ago and I completely agree, it was awful seeing them being treated so badly.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

As so many people head to cruise ships and Santorini this summer, here is some info that may help you make a decision regarding the donkeys in Santorini...

 

From:

Compiled by Directorate Communication, National Department of Agriculture

in cooperation with National Council of SPCAs

Printed and published by National Department of Agriculture

and obtainable from Resource Centre, Directorate Communication,

Private Bag X144, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

 

• A strong pack donkey in good condition should not carry more than a third of its body weight. A donkey in good condition weighing 150 kg, should carry a maximum of 50 kg. (110 lbs.) The more difficult the terrain and the longer the journey, the less the donkey should carry.
  

And for those who insist that the Santorini donkeys are more like mules, which are larger:

from Wikipedia:

 

The median weight range for a mule is between 800 and 1,000 pounds (360 and 450 kg).[4]

Although it depends on the individual animal, an army mule can "carry up to 72 kg and walk 26 km without resting."[5] In general, the rule of thumb is that a mule can be packed with "dead weight" of up to 20% of its body weight, or approximately 91 kilograms (201 lb)[6]

 

So, my point is this:

 

The Santorini donkeys, whether donkey or mule in size, should carry either no more than 110 pounds for a small donkey or 201 pounds for a larger donkey, at the most. Take a look on your next visit and see how many people you see on a donkey that weighs at least 200 pounds. Take a look at how many times you see larger people on smaller donkeys because it is harder to get up on the larger donkeys. Take a look at how many times you see two people on one donkey.

 

If you are a person who is more than 110 pounds and getting ready to mount a small donkey, please think about it.

 

If you are a person who is more than 200 pounds and getting ready to mount any donkey, please think about it and take the cable car instead.

 

My hope is not necessarily to see the Santorini donkey rides abolished. Instead, I would like to see increased awareness from the cruising public and increased efforts made to insure these animals have a humane existence.

 

The mistreatment of these animals has been widely documented in newspapers and journals, especially in the U. K. Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

 

 

I guarantee that if you do not take the donkeys up or down you will still fall in love with Santorini and want to return.