Ocean Holidays Animal Welfare Policy 

At Ocean Holidays, our core values are deeply embedded into our everyday lives, forming the foundation on which we build our whole operation. Extending into how we engage with our customers, the workplace culture we foster, and how we maintain relationships with our partners, our efforts to ‘Do the right thing’ means also considering the impact we, and our customers, might have on animal centric experiences around the world.

We understand that many of our valued customers seek out new experiences when they travel, some of which might include organisations like zoos, wildlife parks and animal encounters. While we strive to always make your holiday dreams a reality, we are also committed to prioritising the wellbeing of animals and ensuring that all animal interactions and experiences offered through our attraction partners uphold the highest standards of welfare. Recognising our responsibility to steer our customers toward responsible choices and drive change amongst attraction partners, our dedicated task force has come together to define a comprehensive policy that will guide all our actions and decisions relating to animal centric experiences and attractions.

Our team have defined this policy with the very best of intentions, although we recognise we cannot claim to be experts in animal welfare. Therefore, when it comes to topics like marine life and zoos, we rely on the guidance of experts in these fields. Having sought the professional services of a sustainability consultancy, we have utilised their council and woven in aspects of our individual stance alongside widely recognised policies such as the ABTA Animal Welfare Policy. For activities that impact marine life or involve zoo interactions, all partners must be accredited by relevant organizations such as the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA), the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), and the Alliance for Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA).  We also recognise that animal welfare is an evolving environment, with new findings emerging on a frequent basis. Hence we are committed to engaging with both animal welfare and protection bodies; as well as encouraging feedback from customers ,suppliers and other stakeholders, to keep our policy under regular review.

As one of the leading owner managed and independent tour operators in the UK, we understand that implementing this policy not only assists our customers in making responsible decisions, but can also effect change amongst our partners to drive the wider positive transformation of animal welfare standards. Where our team determine that an attraction does not adhere to our ‘Green Category : Standards’ as outlined below, partners will have the opportunity to decide if they are willing to review their current practices. Should they decline to do so, they will be taken off sale with immediate effect. If, however, they are willing to implement changes to meet our ‘Green Category : Standards’, the attraction partner will have a three month period in which to provide us with their plans to drive the necessary changes, and a further three months to provide tangible evidence of those changes being implemented. At this time, our team will once again review the case to determine whether we continue to work with the supplier or whether further work is required.

Below, our Animal Welfare Policy is outlined, structured into a simple traffic light system:

• Green Category : Standards’ sets out the best practices we demand from our partners
• Yellow Category : Requirements’ must provide regular evidence demonstrating their adherence to our policy or we will cease to work with them
• Red Category : Prohibitions’ lists unacceptable activities which would stop us from working with that attraction

How can you help?

We understand that in many destinations around the world, opportunities to view and/or interact with animals are commonly offered and very popular with holidaymakers. We recognise that these experiences can be enjoyable, helping you to make memories to last a lifetime, provide education and support legitimate conservation efforts. However, where experiences are not carefully managed, they can jeopardise animal welfare standards and your precious holiday experience.

Animal welfare is a complex area, and ABTA provides guidelines for the tourism industry on basic welfare requirements and unacceptable practices. More information about this work can be found here. Whilst these guidelines were developed for industry professionals, they encompass a number of points which are also relevant for you, as a holidaymaker, to keep in mind too.

Interacting with animals

It sounds like common sense but interacting with dangerous wild animals, including touching, riding or feeding, poses significant risks. They are unpredictable and you could be seriously injured. Be wary about having a photo taken with a captive wild animal. The animal may find being handled stressful, could be drugged or be at risk of being killed once it becomes too large to handle. Holding a lion cub, or riding or bathing elephants, are examples of unacceptable practices in the ABTA Animal Welfare Guidelines.

Captive animals

Animals have many welfare needs in captivity that should be met. The ABTA  guidelines set out basic welfare requirements including food, housing and health. If you see anything that concerns you, we strongly encourage you to raise this with our teams so that we can investigate further and take any necessary actions. Visiting a genuine animal sanctuary can have a positive impact, but not all are official sanctuaries, and some don’t necessarily operate as they should. There are also things you shouldn’t see or do in a sanctuary, for example sanctuaries should not breed animals and you shouldn’t be allowed to touch them.

Viewing animals in the wild

When viewing animals in the wild, ensure you and/or your guide leaves sufficient distance so that your presence doesn’t disturb them or interfere with their natural behaviour. Don’t encourage guides to pursue wildlife that are showing avoidance tactics e.g. displaying threatening or alarmed behaviour or if they are moving away. Speak quietly and don’t make any sudden movements when close to wildlife so as not to alarm them. Never feed, touch, tease or provoke wild animals. For marine wildlife, when contact with animals is permitted and controlled (e.g. when swimming with dolphins), don’t approach the animals but let them approach you when they choose to. Don’t approach or interfere with breeding sites (nests, burrows, dens, etc.) as this can disturb and affect the animals, sometimes resulting in parents abandoning their young, and in many places is illegal.

Working animals

With working animals, such as camels, donkeys or horses, look out for how the animals are cared for, whether they are fit enough and if the work is appropriate. For example, never ride donkeys, horses, mules or camels that are too young, too old, pregnant or nursing. For advice on how to spot the signs of whether an animal is suitable to ride, check the Happy Horse Code, which has been developed by the animal welfare charity, Brooke.

Other tips

If you see anything that concerns you whilst you’re on holiday, ask questions and raise any concerns you may have. You can flag concerns through The Born Free Foundation’s ‘Raise the Red Flag’ alert system and report your concerns to them.

Don’t buy souvenirs that are made from wildlife products or other threatened natural materials including turtle shells, feathers and ivory. Many of these products support unsustainable practices such as poaching and are illegal under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Learn more about the work of CITES here.

You may also want to put something back into the area and wildlife you’ve visited by making a personal contribution to support conservation in the area.