text: A picture posing with a St Bernard dog in front of the snowy peak of the Matterhorn must top the list for the ultimate Swiss souvenir. But that iconic photo opportunity has been consigned to history after a Swiss town bans selfies with the giant rescue dogs. Zermatt in the Upper Valais area of Switzerland has imposed the ban after a report from an animal welfare charity alleged the dogs were kept in 'miserable conditions'. Scroll down for video . Posing with dogs like these St Bernards has now been banned by the Swiss town of Zermatt . According to the Swiss Animal Protection Agency, the St Bernard dogs are being kept as tourist props by a company in the town that treats them very badly. The organisation has carried out investigations into the conditions the dogs were being kept since 2012 and published a report earlier this year. The report said said when they were not being taken out on excursions with tourists, the dogs  were being kept locked up in confined conditions in an unheated condemned building for long periods of time. It claimed the dogs are left without food or water in foul smelling conditions and are not given enough exercise. When they are put on show,  the dogs are kept in the cold for long periods of time and quickly grow tired while posing for photographs, sometimes with children riding on their backs. The organisation has been calling for the town council of Zermatt to ban the use of the dogs for many years. In a statement, SAP said the town's decision showed it 'loves the animals'. Zermatt, under the shadow of the Matterhorn is a popular tourist desitnations . It said: 'SAP rejoices that the town of Zermatt has now taken action to ban taking pictures of St Bernard dogs in its territory. 'Zematt has shown that it loves the animals and it will put an end to the contemptible and dangerous shows these dogs were made part of by being used as tourist props. 'For several years, the SAP, and its section working in the Upper Valais have criticised the conditions in which these animals are kept, and time and time again, has complained about those who keep the animals in captivity, for their violation of laws on the protection of animals. 'The SAP will continue to do all its can to make sure these dogs, which at the moment are housed in a condemned building in miserable conditions flout animal protection rules, are kept in comfortable conditions that meet their needs. 'The SPA is offering its help on the condition those holding the owners decided to put these dogs in better accommodation after they have been used purely as objects for hire.' The mayor of the town, Christophe Bürgin, told Swiss radio station Walliser Bote: 'No Saint Bernard dogs will be used for photo shoots with tourists on the peaks of Gornergrat and Sunnegga. 'We have been able to convince providers that it is not right to continue to offer pictures in that way.' He said over the summer a few dogs might be found because of long-term contracts with tour operators but the practice will be stamped out by next winter. In March the association filed a legal complaint against the St Bernard owners, claiming that the dogs’ living and working conditions were abusive. MailOnline has contacted the St Bernard owners for comment.
target: Swiss town of Zermatt bans tourists taking pictures of St Bernard dogs .
  Comes after Swiss Animal Protection Agency into miserable conditions the dogs are kept in .
  The report says they are locked up in a condemned building or made to stand in the cold for hours at a time .