Action of the Week: Stop Public Dolphin Feeding at SeaWorld
Since the release of The Cove in 2009, more than 500,000 people from around the world have signed our original petition asking U.S. leaders to put pressure on the Japanese government to end the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan.
The fight to protect dolphins, however, did not stop with The Cove. This week we’re asking SeaWorld CEO James Atchison to change the company’s policy regarding public dolphin feedings.
On November 21, eight-year-old Jillian Thomas was bit on the hand while feeding a dolphin during a trip to SeaWorld. To some, feeding dolphins may seem cute, but according to Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project, public feeding is dangerous and needs to stop before more people get hurt.
O’Barry argues that dolphins in these feeding pools are intentionally underfed so that they’ll interact with human visitors. The garbage that inevitably ends up in the pools doesn’t help either.
By signing the petition above, you’re doing more than just telling SeaWorld to end this one theme park attraction. You’re sending a message that dolphins do not belong in captivity at all.
We’re already more than halfway to our goal of 10,000 signatures. Help us cross the finish line.
