The animals are often over-worked, under-watered and under-fed, and have the added burden of frequently carrying passengers who are too heavy for them. Haggling is common as credit crunch tourists negotiate rock bottom prices and quibble over the last pound.

Owners, whose livelihoods are dependent on these earnings, are often left short changed and are tempted to overwork the animals in their desperation to bring in enough money to feed their family.