Sea Lion Splash Crash en Route to Missouri State Fair Prompts PETA Call to Ban Animal Acts

For Immediate Release:
August 13, 2026

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

Kansas City, Mo. –

Earlier today, a truck hauling three sea lions to perform in Sea Lion Splash at the Missouri State Fair slammed into a barrier on Interstate 70, sending one person to the hospital and leaving the terrified animals to be rescued from the wreckage. PETA is alerting federal authorities to the crash, calling for the animals to receive immediate veterinary care, and urging the Missouri State Fair to ban cruel animal acts. Below, please find a statement from PETA Foundation Director of Captive Wildlife Advocacy Klayton Rutherford:

“These sea lions never should have been anywhere near a highway. This wreck is the predictable, shameful result of Sea Lion Splash’s cruel business model of dragging aquatic animals across the country in tiny trailers to force them to flap through ridiculous tricks in cramped, above-ground kiddie pools. PETA warned the Missouri State Fair that this seedy outfit has a long and sordid history of federal animal welfare violations, but fair leadership rolled out the welcome mat and set the stage for this avoidable disaster. These animals need help now, and this cruel spectacle needs to end.”

PETA notes that the current owner of Sea Lion Splash has been cited multiple times by federal authorities for violating the Animal Welfare Act, including for dilapidated facilities that exposed animals to possible injuries, a lack of enough space for the animals to make species-typical movements, and multiple instances of failing to provide them with adequate veterinary care. In 2022, a sea lion died after apparently sustaining a laceration from exposed screws and sharp edges in the tank.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and fear, a sea lion is a dog is a boy. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.