To be saddened people still do these things on holiday?

[lastqueenofscotland]

Had a summer of holidays pictures on social media m which had included a lot of people
Swimming with dolphins
Going to sea world in Orlando
Posing with drugged up tigers for pictures
Riding elephants in Thailand

So on and so forth. In an age where information about the poor treatment of these animals is so well known and freely available AIBU to feel a bit sad about it.
I also want to publicly call them out... but that won’t go well.

I don’t do zoos, I don’t do those sea world places, I don’t do safari parks.

I can’t get excited about the fact that other people do. I’ll happily tuck in to a steak, I wouldn’t expect anyone who doesn’t eat meat to judge me for that.

Not everyone is the same:
My kids had always wanted to swim with dolphins. We found a dolphin refuge that used dolphins to educate. Ye we went in the water with them. No we did not swim with them ride them dance with them or anything else. We waited until the other people left, and literally floated in the water while they swam around the lagoon.
Elephants: we paid to Wash and feed the elephants and nothing more.no rides no tricks. The people thought we were nuts!

@LiveInAHidingPlace

I agree about conservation, but there is a zoo near us who only take in rescue animals. I don’t go there but I guess having paying customers to fund the care of animals who have been in terrible situations is no different to the cat and dog rescues, donkey sanctuary etc.

As trendy as Blackfish made slagging SeaWorld off, they do carry out conservation work too; I don't imagine the drugged tiger places do too much for the local wildlife.

**My kids had always wanted to swim with dolphins. We found a dolphin refuge that used dolphins to educate.

You’re the problem. Your children’s temporary desires aren’t more important than the welfare of these dolphins. Also “use them to educate”?! You can find all the education you need regarding dolphins in books/online/or via David Attenborough!! Cop yourself on

I find people with the arrogance to pretend they know better about the welfare of animals better then zoologists quite tiresome.

Littleheart5
Since you don’t know me, the rescue sanctuary or the circumstances I will overlook your ignorance.
The rest of the first line says I PURPOSELY looked for a rescue with integrity.

I judge people for this stuff too.

I agree with you. My heart sinks when I see people have gone to these places. Nothing beats seeing animals in the wild, and if you don't see them then that's because they are free to be somewhere else, not in captivity where they have no choice.

Many larger travel companies are now finally stopping selling trips to captive animal facilities including swim with dolphins etc.
There's lots of info on this, have a look at Born Free Foundation, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and watch a film called Blackfish.

user post the details then, if you want to help people find places with good credentials.

YADNBU

You may have attempted to do so, and they may present themselves as such, but even a basic cursory google will tell you that it stresses dolphins to be swam with. If you choose to ignore the science and expert opinion, and follow with your children’s “dreams” that’s a matter for yourself, but don’t kid yourself that you’ve done anything to be proud of

I think some PPs are generalizing about orphanages. Yes some companies will cash in on it, and like I said, these are immoral. But if you research properly and find organizations who generally need help, it’s a great thing to do. Having been an expat in Asia for six years prior to volunteering, and having a husband from the area, I knew the area well and knew of the orphanage which was, as another PP said, just an orphanage who needed help. Like I said, I am a qualified teacher and volunteered for a year teaching an English programme, in this part of the world is incredibly valued and can make a huge difference in the future opportunities of the children. Sure, volunteering for a day or a week isn’t going to help anyone, but might still be interesting for children to meet people from different countries and cultures when their own opportunities for travel and are nonexistent. You can’t shun or criticise all volunteers and dismiss all voluntary projects as scams, very ignorant and will only mean that genuine charities and people who need help will miss out. I also think that there’s an element of bitterness about genuine volunteering and it’s normally coming from the people who can’t be bothered to do it themselves - it’s easier to claim ALL these projects are scams and to sit at home smugly feeling superior than to actually get off your arse and research the organizations that genuinely need help and to offer your skills.

but even a basic cursory google will tell you that it stresses dolphins to be swam with
And maybe if you bothered to go there and enquire rather than judging in front of your laptop, you'd learn that places will inform you before that if they believe dolphins care getting stressed, they would cut the trip short. This is what happened to us, and despite paying a lot, I was delighted that they made the decision to turn back. We still got some lovely pics.

Many companies care much more about the welfare of the animals in their habitat than animal warriors on their computers who are probably just jealous that other people dare being able to afford nice holidays.

@Unihorn, are you having a laugh? the conservation work Seaworld does is bollocks, its just a smokesceen/distraction for what they are doing to those poor killer whales.They have been ripped from their pods and make to perform tricks in little pools for the rest of their life. Its an outrageous disgrace that this goes on.
I've been to the Stelwaggon bank twice, which is a Whale feeding ground outside Boston. You can see the Whales in their natural environment, none are being exploited, hurt or abused and it was only £15.00 as well. Theres absolutely no place in our society for places liken SeaWorld.

Went kayaking with young relative, 8ish, in a river in another hemisphere. Well, I was teaching her to kayak (and to tell her left from her right as it turned out, but that's another story!) Child has done the Disney/SeaWorld thing on trips to US. Our massive thrill was suddenly hearing a big puff of breath and seeing a pod of dolphins a kayak's length away porpoising out to sea. Yet later, child asked, "Why didn't those dolphins do any tricks?" So sad to realise child's expectation.

The answer, of course, was that these were wild, free dolphins doing what they do naturally which does not always involve the kind of play she was asking about.

Getting on this thread for ideas of where to see dolphins in the wild. The Inverness recommendation sounds good.

YANBU. I rewatched blackfish the other day, this time with my 11 yr old. I can't believe that poor whale is still being kept in horrific conditions. Not to mention the poor people who lost their lives unnecessarily, and the cover ups the to keep the $$$ coming in. I can't understand why this sort of exploitation is acceptable to so many.

www.elephantnaturepark.org/

This is an elephant rescue in Thailand you can visit. It is completely ethical and exists to rescue and rehabilitate elephants who are mistreated. You can feed and wash the elephants but you are not allowed to ride them. I am sure some people would say you shouldn’t be able to even do that but the money from tourists allows them to do the work they need to do.

Well Op, how are zoos in the UK better? Do lions in Chessington zoo suffer less than dolphins at SeaWorld? That should make you sad as well. And potentially battery chickens, have you seen how they are kept?

Regarding human orphanages, there are none in the UK. Because children go to foster carers and potentially are adopted. However in many areas of the world they are abandoned or are genuinely orphaned and they either go to orphanages or end up on the streets (with all the consequences). Some people genuinely send donations to help or volunteer for extended periods of time. Not everyone is looking for likes on Instagram.

^^**just jealous that other people dare being able to afford nice holidays.

😂😂
Don’t worry about my holidays, I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled to plenty of amazing ones all over the world :)

My point in a nutshell is this: animals are sentient beings, be aware of this and be kind to them. And I’m out :)

On another note, the "Sheldrick Elephant & Rhino Orphanage" rehabilitates orphaned elephants and rhinos and transition them back into the wild, and you can support them comfortably from here.

Would you go into a children's home to look at the sad children and get them all to give a hug in your home town? Well obviously not.
Oh but that's different.

Everyone knows that just being western means that despite (usually) zero relevant qualifications, zero experience working with childhood trauma and zero knowledge of the child's culture or background that is in the child's best interest to have enlightening experiences with people who can (with zero TEFL training or teacher training) teach the child English in a day or so of idle chat.

It doesn't matter what trauma the children have faced, they're super grateful for anyone to kick a football around and love bomb them for a few days.

Orphanages are crying out for people with absolutely no qualifications or experience to show up and pay for a few instagrammable photos and a story to tell when they get home about how inspiring and humbling it was to "work with the children".

Some people genuinely send donations to help or volunteer for extended periods of time. Not everyone is looking for likes on Instagram.
They can volunteer for 3-6 months for all o care. They can even do a whole year of so called do gooding for their gap yah. If they aren't qualified and experienced practitioners in relevant areas then it's still all about them feeling good about themselves and giving the volunteer the experience. It's tourism.

I looked at teaching with VSO as a newly qualified teacher. Certainly when I looked I wasn't eligible because I didn't have enough professional experience. That's how it should be.