Animal Welfare & Ethical Wildlife Policy
Policy Statement
Journey Morocco recognizes animals as sentient beings whose welfare is inseparable from the cultural, environmental, and ethical integrity of travel in Morocco. We are committed to ensuring that all animal encounters offered through our itineraries are conducted responsibly, humanely, and without exploitation.
This policy establishes binding standards governing both permitted and prohibited animal interactions. It is informed by international animal-welfare principles, regional best practices, and the operational standards expected of elite luxury travel operators.
These requirements are mandatory and enforceable for all Journey Morocco employees, guides, handlers, transport providers, Destination Management Companies (DMCs), and third-party partners, across all itineraries, regions, and service tiers.
1. Core Principles
Journey Morocco operates under the following principles:
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Animal welfare takes precedence over guest preference
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Animals must never be coerced, restrained, sedated, mutilated, or staged for tourism
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Animals must retain the ability to disengage freely from human interaction
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Cultural practices do not excuse abuse or neglect
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Ethical interaction may occur only where animal health, choice, and dignity are preserved
2. Permitted Animal Interactions Under Welfare-Controlled Standards
Journey Morocco offers certain animal experiences that are culturally rooted in Morocco and conducted responsibly. These experiences are permitted only when all welfare standards below are met.
2.1 Horseback Experiences
Permitted experiences include:
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Beach horseback rides
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Countryside or desert horseback excursions
Requirements:
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Horses must be in good physical condition, free from visible injury, lameness, or distress
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Saddles and tack must be properly fitted and padded
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Load limits must not exceed 20% of the animal’s body weight
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Double-riding is prohibited
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Horses must have access to water, rest, and shade before and after rides
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No use during peak heat hours (12:00 PM – 4:00 PM) in summer conditions
2.2 Camel Experiences
Permitted experiences include:
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Camel rides
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Camel-led desert travel
Requirements:
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Camels must be healthy, hydrated, and properly rested
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Saddles and equipment must be well-fitted and non-abrasive
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Load limits must not exceed 20% of body weight
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Double-loading is prohibited
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No use during peak heat hours
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Adequate access to water and rest is mandatory
Any evidence of overworking, dehydration, physical punishment, or neglect results in immediate termination of the operator relationship.
2.3 Snake Handling and Traditional Performance Contexts
Journey Morocco does not categorically prohibit snake-handling traditions, recognizing their cultural presence in Morocco. However, such interactions are permitted only under strict welfare conditions.
Journey Morocco will only bring guests to handlers who demonstrably meet humane standards, including:
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Snakes are not de-fanged, mutilated, restrained, or starved
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Animals are not forced to perform for prolonged periods
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Adequate shelter, rest, and care are provided
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Handling practices do not involve physical harm or distress
Handlers are vetted directly by Journey Morocco. Guest interaction is observational unless expressly approved by the guide under controlled conditions. Any handler failing to meet these standards is excluded without exception.
2.4 Barbary Macaque Encounters
Journey Morocco facilitates encounters with Barbary macaques only in established habitats where human interaction is already normalized, such as forested areas near Ifrane.
Standards:
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Viewing occurs in open, natural environments
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No restraint, confinement, or forced proximity
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Animals must be free to disengage at all times
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Feeding, where permitted by local conservation guidance, is limited, supervised, and restricted to appropriate food (e.g., fruit)
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Guests are briefed on respectful behavior prior to arrival
Physical contact is not encouraged. Any signs of animal stress, aggression, or overcrowding require immediate disengagement.
3. Prohibited Animal Exploitation Practices
The following activities are strictly prohibited under all circumstances:
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Cub-petting or handling of juvenile wild animals
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“Walking with” or posing with wild animals
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Wildlife selfie operations involving restraint, sedation, or coercion
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Facilities that breed or confine wild animals for tourist interaction
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Roadside staging of animals for photographs, including goats forced into argan trees
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Any animal interaction involving physical punishment, mutilation, starvation, or denial of water
These practices are incompatible with humane tourism and are not offered or facilitated by Journey Morocco.
4. Guide Authority and Guest Management
Journey Morocco guides are fully authorized to:
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Refuse guest requests that compromise animal welfare
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Modify, shorten, or terminate animal experiences if welfare standards are breached
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Remove guests from situations that pose risk to animals or people
Guest compliance with guide instruction is mandatory. Animal welfare overrides guest preference without exception.
5. Governance and Oversight
Journey Morocco appoints an Independent Ethics, Welfare & Compliance Officer with authority to:
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Approve, suspend, or terminate animal-related partnerships
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Conduct audits and site inspections
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Override itinerary components that violate this policy
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Escalate violations directly to executive leadership
This role operates independently of sales and commercial operations.
6. Enforcement and Sanctions
Violations of this policy result in immediate enforcement action, including:
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Suspension of activities
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Mandatory remediation where appropriate
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Permanent blacklisting for violations
There are no probationary periods for animal abuse or neglect.
All partners acknowledge this policy as a binding contractual appendix.
7. Training and Certification
All staff and relevant partners must complete annual animal-welfare training, including:
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Load-bearing and heat-management standards
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Humane handling and observation protocols
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Incident identification and escalation procedures
No individual may operate on behalf of Journey Morocco without current certification.
8. Transparency and Review
This policy is reviewed annually and updated to reflect changes in applicable law, regulatory guidance, and internationally recognized animal-welfare standards.