SeaWorld’s Lack of Family Values
The folks who scoffed at our proposal to buy SeaWorld and convert its facilities into non-animal theme parks might reconsider their stance after reading about the real cost of having these parks continue with business as usual.
Last week, we received word from a whistleblower that a dolphin named Dixie, who is exploited in SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove “swim with dolphins” attraction in Orlando, gave birth to a stillborn infant. What’s more, even though SeaWorld knew that Dixie was due to give birth, the park apparently did not have a veterinarian available for Dixie at any point during or after her labor. She was forced to endure this traumatic experience—and its aftermath—without proper care.
This information came to us just a few short weeks after another dolphin, Scarlet, and her unborn fetus died at Discovery Cove. In that case, we were told that the necropsy revealed that Scarlet’s uterus had ruptured while she was pregnant, causing the calf to be released into her body cavity.
These disgraceful incidents clearly show that SeaWorld and other aquariums don’t really care about the well-being of the animals they incarcerate, so we have filed a complaint with the USDA calling for investigations into Scarlet’s death and the lack of care provided to Dixie.
We’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you’re going to Florida this summer (or any other time), there are lots of great places to visit where your money won’t go toward hurting smart, sensitive animals.
Written by Jeff Mackey
