The famous zebra donkey in Tijuana will disappear forever and be replaced by wooden figures, according to media reports and social media. Citizens claim that these emblematic animals have been removed from Revolución Avenue.
The donkeys painted as zebras, which have been used for more than 100 years for tourist photographs, seem to be saying goodbye to the border city. In their place, figures of striped donkeys will be installed to continue the business without the use of live animals. The litigation director of Animal Lawyers told the media outlet Punto Norte the following:
“The worrying thing is: if they already have wooden donkeys, where are the donkeys they exploited for years?”
For decades, the use of these painted donkeys has generated controversy, as some consider that their use as a tourist attraction and the economic gain derived from it constitute animal abuse. However, others defend this business as a “cultural icon.”
“We know that there is abuse, because these donkeys are not born with zebra stripes; They paint them, and this paint damages their skin, ridiculing them and affecting their animal dignity. In addition, the food they receive is not adequate.”
Finally, it is unknown whether this measure was a voluntary decision by the merchants, but it is recognized as a step forward in animal rights.
Source: sandiegored
