Santorini Donkeys

[vwgolf]

A plea to everybody who is on the Pearls of the Aegean cruise this year. When you go to Santorini, please do not take a donkey ride to the top of the hill. It's just plain cruel. There is a good cable car service or, if you want to rid yourself of some of those excess spounds you've put on whilst on board, you can always walk. We managed it up and down!

 

There's an article about it here:

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/102837/Santorini-donkeys-still-suffer-

[Dorset Cruiser]

A plea to everybody who is on the Pearls of the Aegean cruise this year. When you go to Santorini, please do not take a donkey ride to the top of the hill. It's just plain cruel. There is a good cable car service or, if you want to rid yourself of some of those excess spounds you've put on whilst on board, you can always walk. We managed it up and down!

 

There's an article about it here:

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/102837/Santorini-donkeys-still-suffer-

 

 

Oh how I agree with you. The sight of those huge tourists being carried up that hill by those poor little donkeys was awful and to do it when you know there is a cable car adjacent defies belief. It is the same in Mijas where the donkeys carry tourists around but at least their route is not up a steep incline.

 

I am not against beach donkeys and, in the seaside resort where we live, we have an award-winning pack of donkeys on the beach. They are wonderfully cared for and only carry children. We are also frequent visitors to the Donkey Sanctuary in Devon and some of the accounts of how their donkeys were treated before they arrived there are very upsetting.

[john_l]

A plea to everybody who is on the Pearls of the Aegean cruise this year. When you go to Santorini, please do not take a donkey ride to the top of the hill. It's just plain cruel. There is a good cable car service or, if you want to rid yourself of some of those excess spounds you've put on whilst on board, you can always walk. We managed it up and down!

 

There's an article about it here:

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/102837/Santorini-donkeys-still-suffer-

 

 

Thanks, I hope to do this cruise in future so will make sure we do not take these "rides." In fact Thomson should warn the whole ship about it before the stop and tell people how cruel it is.

 

If they are mentioned in the excursion meeting at the start of the cruise, I will not think twice about standing up and letting them know my point of view.

[Di13]

I TOTALLY agree with you john, we are going on this cruise in 2 weeks time and will not be going anywhere near the poor donkeys, how anyone can take a ride on these poor animals is absoutely beyond me. If I see anyone getting on one I'm going to have to try and control myself into not letting them no exactly what I think of them!!!!!

[Scarey Mary]

I have just returned from the Pearls of The Aegean and I agree with all comments here it is so cruel. Unfortunately Thomson do put forward the donkeys as an option at Santorini. However our party made it perfectly clear to anyone who considered this that they should be ashamed of themselves to even think about it and how cruel it is.:(

[jodanuke]

We went on the Red Sea cruise about 3 years ago and had a donkey ride back up the hill in Petra. Felt sooo sorry for the donkey I thought I should have got off and carried the thing up instead!

 

Incidently the national newspapers carried a story about the donkey v cable car last year. Allegedly the donkey owners treat them very badly, bordering on cruelty, starve and beat them.

 

We went here last summer. The cable car is quicker and easier.

 

PS Don't walk down the path, although you are told you can. It is very hard work even downhill in the warm weather. And the steps are absolutely covered in donkey sh.... erm you know what I mean!

[vwgolf]

 

PS Don't walk down the path, although you are told you can. It is very hard work even downhill in the warm weather. And the steps are absolutely covered in donkey sh.... erm you know what I mean!

 

We walked up and down and it is hard work. We didn't intend to but the queues for the cable car were horrendous. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time if you plan to take that route down.

[pauline wales]

We went on the Red Sea cruise about 3 years ago and had a donkey ride back up the hill in Petra. Felt sooo sorry for the donkey I thought I should have got off and carried the thing up instead!

 

Incidently the national newspapers carried a story about the donkey v cable car last year. Allegedly the donkey owners treat them very badly, bordering on cruelty, starve and beat them.

 

We went here last summer. The cable car is quicker and easier.

 

PS Don't walk down the path, although you are told you can. It is very hard work even downhill in the warm weather. And the steps are absolutely covered in donkey sh.... erm you know what I mean!

one of the worst experiences of my life was walking down those steps. The donkeys were going up and down, the donkey doo was everywhere and the flies were unbelievable.

[jenny wren]

There has been an article in the Daily Express this week about the donkeys in Santorini ....they have all been examined by a vet (I think this week) and were all passed as fit, apart from two, who have been taken 'off duty' for several months ....can't remember exact details but Daily Express has been campaigning for a while for something to be done. Think they were also rebuilding the shelter for them.

[History addict]

Last year Ocean Village made a point of saying they don't endorse using the donkeys when we called at Santorini. Notwithstanding the lack of care of the donkeys, apparently every year they have to deal with several passengers with broken bones who got banged against the sides of the wall as the donkeys rushed up and down the steps, or so we were told.

[Bella36]

We have had a wonderful 2 week holiday on Santorini in the past and love this beautiful place, but I do agree with other posters that the treatment of the donkeys is very cruel. :(

 

They struggle up that hill, with often very overweight tourists from the cruise ships, up to four or five times a day. They are beaten with sticks if they do not go fast enough, they often have weeping sores on their backs from the saddles rubbing them, and they have very little access to water throughout the day. At night the "fields" they are kept in are little better, with very limited access to water and grass. The female donkeys are kept in foal for much of their short and sad lives, to replace the "workforce", so to speak. PLEASE do not ride on them and let Thomson know of your reasons why. They should warn all their passengers not to ride the donkeys because of the cruelty involved. The cable car is very quick and although the queue looks long, it really does move quickly and you will be in Thira in a couple of minutes.

 

It is good to know that a team of British Animal Welfare professionals including a Vet, Farrier and Equine Dentist are monitoring the Donkeys welfare this summer, but they can only advise the Greek owners - it is up to each owner whether he follows their advice. Also Stelios, of EasyJet fame, has donated over £20,000 to improve conditions for the donkeys. Well done to him!

[Miss Babs]

I have just returned from the Pearls of the Agean cruise and stopped at Santorini. I did not see any poor little donkeys - only mules (a cross between horse and donkey)which are a lot larger and stronger than the little things you see at Blackpool. These animals are renowned for their strength and carrying ability and used by locals all over the islands. I did not see any ill-treatment or animals looking in distress, starving or with open wounds - however they did all suffer from bad wind!! I agree there will always be some very overweight people who should not attempt this for their own sake as well and the mules, so perhaps a weight limit ??

[cosytoes]

We had heard about the donkeys but if you do the organised trip the tender takes you somewher else so after the bus trip round you only get the cable car down and the tickets are inlcuded. So perhaps they were all at lunch when we came back as not a donkey in sight.