Working animal charity Brooke has called for compassionate treatment of donkeys after recent scenes in an episode of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City showed reality stars riding donkeys up steep hills in Santorini.Brooke is asking people to recognise working animals like donkeys as sentient beings with intrinsic value rather than as props for entertainment.The charity has contacted Bravo, who are the production company for The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,to condone this behaviour andemphasise the poor welfare implications donkey rides can have.Animals need to be treated with dignityTourism can coexist with compassion when animals are treated with dignity, saidDr Laura Skippen, global head of animal health and welfare at Brooke.Good welfare should ensure that animals are cared for, respected and not pushed beyond their needs.Leisure use that is unnecessary or purely for spectacle should never come at the expense of an animals wellbeing, particularly when alternatives exist.We ask that producers and TV stars refrain from using donkey rides for entertainmentand follow a strict internal protocol for filming.Raising standardsHorse and donkeys working in tourism are often used to travel long distances over challenging terrain and with limited access to water and shade.Brooke asks people to consider:Is the animal happy and healthy? Can the animal carry or pull my weight? What alternatives are there to using animals?The charity is asking tourists to contact their tour operator, local police or authority if they believe an animal is being exploited.HistoryBrooke, which was founded by Dorothy Brooke in 1934,works with communities, local health providers and policy makers to create a better life for working animals and their owners.The charity recognises that working animals are an essential part of many communities around the world and without them they would be unable to earn a living, provide food for their families and send their children to school.ReadBrookesguide toresponsible use of animals in tourism.Main stock image Shutterstock.More contentBecky Moody explains how to master the perfect 20m circleJay Halims simple showjumping warm-up routine to jump a clear roundNine course-walking tips for a clear round from Ben MaherRos Canters grid exercise to slow a keen or strong horse when youre jumpingThe post Working animal charity calls out treatment of donkeys in reality TV show appeared first on Your Horse.