Holiday rental giant Airbnb has agreed to stop promoting and selling tickets for exploitative animal rides at the Great Pyramids of Giza after hearing from PETA US. In thanks, PETA US is sending the company delicious vegan chocolates.
An exposé into the historic site documented handlers violently beating exhausted horses and camels, who are used to haul tourists in the blistering sun. Injured and malnourished horses were seen eating from garbage dumps, and the bodies of dead horses were found discarded every day at trash sites outside the Giza pyramids. Camels considered too old, sick, or injured to be useful were often hauled to a slaughterhouse, where their throats were slit while they were still conscious. One camel continued to kick for four agonizing minutes after a worker slit the animal’s throat.
“Countless travel operators are rejecting the horror of camel rides and encouraging tourists to enjoy the Great Pyramids’ stunning views without supporting animal cruelty,” says PETA Senior Campaigns Advisor Mimi Bekhechi. “PETA applauds Airbnb for shunning these shameful rides and urges travelers to leave animal rides off their itineraries in Egypt and worldwide.”
Horses are herd animals who can feel stressed if forced to live alone and they mourn each other’s deaths, while camels are known to greet one another by blowing air on each other’s faces. Airbnb joins dozens of businesses that won’t promote or sell animal rides at the pyramids, including Audley Travel, British Airways Holidays, easyJet holidays, Flash Pack, G Adventures, Flash Pack, Hays Travel, and Scott Dunn.
