Orfila Vineyards & Winery in Escondido is under fire after rolling out camel rides at a recent event, a move that has some animal welfare advocates and wine club regulars saying the promotion crossed the line from quirky to cruel.
Social media posts and local chatter say the camel attraction has reopened old wounds over the winery’s past use of exotic animals, with critics arguing that the tasting room is the wrong place to stage what they see as a mini petting zoo.
As reported by the New York Post, the camels were supplied by a traveling operator that offered rides and photo ops. Video shared online appears to show handlers in company-branded gear walking the animals around the grounds. A publicly posted contract from Giddy Up Ranch lists a Phelan base and lays out the trailer, staging and fencing requirements needed to haul and display camels, along with safety limits and trailer dimensions.
Not the first stunt that rattled members
This is not Orfila’s first brush with controversy over live animals. Last November, the winery ran a "Groovin' with a Giraffe" promotion that was advertised on its events calendar and quickly drew intense online criticism.
The giraffe appearance led some wine club members to cancel their memberships and triggered a federal complaint from PETA, according to SanDiegoVille and the winery’s own event listing.
Critics: Welfare and safety concerns
Animal care advocates say packing exotic animals into crowds of people drinking wine is a bad mix for everyone involved.
"Encouraging day-drinking customers to clamber on top of a skittish camel in a strange and hectic environment is a recipe for disaster," activist Debbie Metzler told the New York Post. Other commenters have urged the winery to drop animal attractions altogether and stick to grapes and charcuterie.
Supporters and local reaction
Plenty of customers, though, are not ready to boycott their favorite North County tasting room over camels or a giraffe cameo.
Some regulars and visitors have defended the programming as creative, family-friendly entertainment, noting that Orfila remains a popular local hangout and wedding spot. Review platforms still rank the property as a go-to stop in Escondido’s wine country, and several social media posts applaud the venue for offering offbeat experiences, as reflected on TripAdvisor.
Regulatory questions remain
Local coverage reports that PETA filed a formal complaint with federal regulators after the giraffe event, but no enforcement action has been announced, leaving the legal picture murky so far, according to SanDiegoVille.
That same report notes that suppliers for exotic animal appearances often operate under USDA exhibitor rules. The paperwork from Giddy Up Ranch underscores how formal those arrangements can be, with detailed staging guidelines and travel logistics for camel displays.
Orfila itself is hardly a newcomer. The estate, founded in 1994 by Alejandro Orfila, is a longtime North County institution. Now the tug-of-war between splashy events and community expectations is playing out in public, with members debating whether animal-based promotions are a fun novelty or a hard pass. The controversy has fueled membership chatter, prompted calls for clarity from regulators and forced local wine fans to weigh entertainment value against animal welfare as the vineyard decides what kind of events it wants to be known for next, according to Orfila Vineyards.
