Animal rights activists on Thursday held a rally outside the Greek embassy in Washington, DC to call for an end to Santorini’s donkey rides, according to greekreporter.com. The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) termed the practice as “notoriously inhumane,” pointing to a damning eyewitness investigation by the group’s German chapter. In a press statement, PETA says that video footage revealed that donkeys and mules are used as “taxis” in Santorini’s scorching heat, forced to transport tourists — many of whom are overweight—up more than 500 steep steps to the old town of Firá, even though a cable car has been operating nearby for decades. Many animals were tethered in the blazing sun without access to water or shade—and some were even forced to continue working at night, hauling bags of trash. Animals who are too old or weak to work are often even abandoned to die, PETA says. “It’s a disgrace that gentle donkeys are being marched into the ground as they’re worked day in and day out with no relief from the hot sun,” notes PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is galvanizing Greek authorities to step up and stop this abuse.” The protest is the third of several PETA demonstrations taking place this week at Greek embassies around the globe, the group said in a press release. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Norbert Nagel Let's block ads! (Why?)