by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:47 AM ET, Wed October 10, 2018
In an effort to protect its animals, Greece has banned overweight tourists from riding donkeys.
According to The Metro, lawmakers in Greece passed a new set of regulations regarding the safety of rideable donkeys after images surfaced in July of obese tourists riding the animals up the narrow steps of the Greek island of Santorini.
Several of the donkeys suffered spinal injuries.
The Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food said they received multiple complaints after the images went viral, and officials now say donkeys working in Santorini are no longer permitted to carry loads heavier than 100kg (220 pounds).
"Under no circumstances should we use animals unfit for work i.e., ill animal, injured, animals in an advanced pregnancy as well as animals with poor maintenance of hooves," the regulations stated. "The animals should be given appropriate and adequate food and fresh drinking water daily, into containers which cannot be contaminated and are cleaned at least once a day."
Protestors and even members of PETA fought against the poor treatment of the animals and consider the updated legislation a victory, but the more changes should continue to be made.
"It's a very big step, I think all our hard work has paid off. The situation in Santorini has been going on for many years and it cannot be resolved in one day," a volunteer in Athens, Elisavet Chatzi, told The Metro. "We have won our fight because of the international media attention on the topic. No one could ever believe that new regulations would be set."
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