Target: Terry Prather, SeaWorld Orlando President
Goal: Shut down entertainment programs at SeaWorld aquatic park in Orlando
Recently during an aquatic show at the SeaWorld park in Orlando, Florida, a dolphin was struggling to get back inside the pool after the performance was cut short due to the weather. A witness’ video shows that the dolphin was clearly trying to roll over from his side to get back inside the pool and another dolphin was even trying to help him get back in. The staff members at the aquatic park were denying the dolphin’s struggle and did not help the animal get back inside the water. This incident is just another in a string of unsafe and often cruel conditions that animals have suffered at the SeaWorld in Orlando. The park chain should be forbidden from putting on public shows from entertainment and should just focus on animal rescue and rehabilitation programs.
SeaWorld is an American chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums and animal theme parks. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. The parks are located in Orlando, Florida; San Diego, California and San Antonio, Texas. For the past 40 years the marine park chain has rescued and helped more than 22,000 animals, including ill, orphaned or abandoned and injured animals. However, the parks’ existence comes also with an uglier price: animal cruelty.
SeaWorld has already received widespread criticism for creating unnatural habitats for these aquatic mammals. It shows in their appearance with collapsed dorsal fins, which can be found only in 1 percent of wild killer whales, but 100 percent of the time in captive killer whales. These animals are also in distress and have attacked and killed their trainers. Now, SeaWorld Orlando employees have also neglected a dolphin in need, saying that the animals were just playing while leaving the dolphin to suffer on its own.
It is time to end this madness and focus only on what such parks can be good for—animal rescue and rehabilitation. It is already one of the functions at SeaWorld and has been highly regarded worldwide; however, their existence is hindered by the neglect and abuse of the animals used for public shows. Sign this petition to demand that the SeaWorld Orlando park shut down its entertainment program, because it has caused too much abuse to animals.
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PETITION LETTER:
Dear Terry Prather,
The SeaWorld park in Orlando has once again found itself under public scrutiny after a recent incident when a dolphin was left to suffer on the edge of a pool with no help from your staff to get it back in the water. This incident caused distress to many of the park’s guests and their families, small children included. Even though it was clear that the dolphin was struggling to get back inside the water, the trainer refused to help it despite the growing concern from the public.
SeaWorld has previously been criticized for its handling of animals used for live entertainment, and this recent incident has crossed a line. As a proponent of animal welfare, it is unacceptable to me that your park has continuously abused animals and put them under distress and I urge you to cancel your live entertainment program and focus on rescuing and rehabilitating your animals instead.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Ricymar Photography via Flickr