Bali, the small Indonesian island in the middle of the Indian Ocean and the Bali Sea is, by most accounts, a perfect holiday destination. The coast is dotted with beautiful beaches, the food is incredible and the people are friendly.
That is, unless, you happen to be an animal in captivity.
A recent report by a prominent animal rights organization has pointed the finger squarely at the islands of Bali, Lombok and Gili Trawangan as being the worst places in the world for animals in captivity and the tourist industry that feeds it.
According to the undercover exposé, 100% of the 26 venues investigated last year which owned captive elephants, tigers, dolphins or civet cats did not meet the basic needs of wild animals in captivity. Additionally, most of these animals were treated with abject cruelty and many forced to work around the clock doling out tourist favorites such as dolphin swims, elephant rides or orangutan selfies.
But captive animals are not the only ones suffering on the island. Last year several news agencies reported of a dog slaughter scandal that rocked the island as well. Dogs were being killed by the hundreds and being sold to unsuspecting tourists as chicken.
TripAdvisor, many tourists' go-to website for travel planning, tells its users that "Bali is a living postcard, an Indonesian paradise that feels like a fantasy." It's reviews like these that help Bali bring in millions of tourism dollars but it is also only part of the story.
Would tourists flock to Bali if they knew the scale of violence and cruelty that the animals of the island had to endure? We think not, and we think travel companies like TripAdvisor have a duty to warn their users about the island's abhorrent animal abuse before they buy their ticket. Do you agree?
Please sign this petition and urge TripAdvisor to add an animal cruelty warning to their Bali page so that their customers can better decide if they want to support an island that supports animal cruelty.
