Mississippi Aquarium Faces Uproar as PETA Kicks Off Multi-City ‘Free the Dolphins’ Campaign
For Immediate Release:
June 16, 2026
Contact:
Hannah Nelson 202-483-7382
Bearing a sign reading “Dolphins Suffer in Tanks,” a body-painted PETA “dolphin” in chains will lead PETA supporters in a rally outside the Mississippi Aquarium on Thursday as part of PETA’s Free the Dolphins campaign—a nationwide initiative that will hit marine parks across the country in coordinated displays on the same day.
PETA wants people to know that the Mississippi Aquarium confines dolphins—who can roam up to 60 miles a day in nature—to tiny tanks where they can do little more than swim in endless circles, and subjects them to stressful hands-on encounters, in which they’re repeatedly touched and grabbed by strangers.
“At the Mississippi Aquarium, dolphins are denied everything natural and important to them, crammed into tiny tanks where they endure a barrage of grabbing hands, and forced to perform,” says PETA President Tracy Reiman. “From coast to coast, PETA is calling on marine abusement parks to release these animals to seaside sanctuaries, where they could finally have some semblance of a natural life.”
Where: Outside the Mississippi Aquarium, 2100 E. Beach Blvd. (at the intersection of E. Beach Boulevard and 20th Avenue), Gulfport
When: Thursday, June 18, 12 noon
Why: In nature, dolphins maintain dynamic relationships with large social networks and choose their own mates. Yet at marine parks, they’re often forced into incompatible social groups, with nowhere to escape when conflicts erupt among other frustrated animals. Those exploited for hands-on encounters endure frequent handling, which can cause stress, illness, and injury. These attractions also pose health risks to humans, as many illnesses—including viral, fungal, and bacterial infections such as salmonella—can be passed from dolphins to human visitors.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
