Airbnb has launched Airbnb Animal Experiences, a new way for people to connect with animals and understand them while protecting the welfare of animals across any experience that features them.

The new category of Airbnb has around a thousand experiences co-hosted by over 300 animal species and their human advocates. Experiences include paddle boarding with corgis, kayaking with conservationists, learning alongside urban beekeepers or skateboarding with a world-record-winning bulldog. Guests seeking more adventure can discover Arctic foxes or even help rescue puppies lost within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

Airbnb Animal Experiences are underpinned by a new animal welfare policy, created in collaboration with World Animal Protection. The new policy ensures the animals’ well-being at all times.

You won’t find an Airbnb Experience where you can kiss a dolphin or ride an elephant.

Over 100 Airbnb Animal Experiences are Social Impact Experiences, which will direct all proceeds from bookings to non-profit organisations. These include supporting causes such as conservation, animal rescue, and veterinary care, which includes caring for rescued horses, seeing macaws being released and spending a day with donkeys.

“We know people love animals and want to see and experience them when they travel, but we also know they most want to see animals in a setting that respects their well-being,” said Alesia Soltanpanah, Executive Director World Animal Protection. “This new animal welfare policy, created in consultation with our animal welfare experts and combined with the creativity and dedication of Airbnb, will ensure that adventurers have many options to experience the beauty of animals in a way that considers their welfare first.”

Airbnb Animal Policy highlights

The new animal welfare policy, created in conjunction with World Animal Protection, highlights:

• Wild animals: there should be no direct contact, including, but not limited to, petting, feeding, or riding animals
• Working animals: maximum one rider and never more than 20% of the animal’s weight, never to be overworked
• Marine mammals: should never be in captivity for entertainment
• Broader host business: should not feature elephant rides, big cat interactions, illegal wildlife trade, sporting events such as canned and trophy hunting, and animals performing for entertainment
• Responsible travel: no wild animals as selfie props or any negative training techniques.