Bauer, Irmgard (2016) The plight of the cute little lambs: travel medicine's role in animal welfare. Journal of Ecotourism, 16 (2). pp. 95-111.

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Abstract

The principles and aims of ecotourism are shared by a range of disciplines including health and medicine. Travel medicine's involvement in One Health and also Responsible Travel provides the background for exploring these concepts' core principle of interconnectedness and its application to destination well-being. The connection between human and animal health is usually represented one-directionally in zoonotic diseases; there is little evidence of reciprocal consideration. This lack is illustrated in a tourist activity, here the use of newborn lambs as photo motifs, vicarious for other animal uses in tourism. To understand the issue of animal welfare arising from this practice, it is necessary to appreciate a range of relevant perspectives, such as itinerant street work in Cusco, including presenting as photographic motif, as well as the consideration of tourism photography, photographer and motif. Furthermore, it is important to include the psychological context of human use of animals, and the different perspectives of animal ethics and welfare in tourism. The use of animals as photo props has implications for the owners', animals' and, to a lesser degree, tourists' well-being. Local animal welfare should be included in travel health education to fulfil travel medicine’s obligations to One Health and Responsible Travel.

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