Post by Mel Mel on Dec 6, 2006 15:25:34 GMT
PETA CALLS ON SEA WORLD TO HALT ORCA AND DOLPHIN DISPLAYS IN WAKE OF ATTACK ON TRAINER
San Diego, Calif. -- This morning, PETA fired off a letter to August A. Busch III—CEO of SeaWorld’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch—urging him to end the dolphin and orca shows at all SeaWorld locations and create a sanctuary for the animals instead. PETA’s letter comes on the heels of last week’s incident, during which an orca named Kasatka twice dragged a trainer underwater during a performance at SeaWorld San Diego, breaking the trainer’s foot and sending him to the hospital. PETA points out that this wasn’t the first time that Kasatka has attacked a trainer. Other orcas and dolphins—who are likely driven insane as a result of being confined to SeaWorld’s small tanks—have also injured employees and members of the public.
In 1993 and again in 1999, Kasatka attempted to bite trainers. And just a few weeks ago, another orca at SeaWorld dragged a trainer underwater. As recently as August 29 of this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited SeaWorld Orlando for failure to properly handle animals following several incidents in which members of the public were bitten while hand-feeding dolphins.
"Orcas and dolphins—who enjoy hundreds of square miles of open water in the wild—are confined to tiny tanks at places like SeaWorld, where they are forced to perform silly tricks," says PETA Director Debbie Leahy. "We’re calling on Anheuser-Busch to use its vast resources to create an ocean sanctuary for these animals so that they can live out the rest of their lives in peace."
www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=9298
San Diego, Calif. -- This morning, PETA fired off a letter to August A. Busch III—CEO of SeaWorld’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch—urging him to end the dolphin and orca shows at all SeaWorld locations and create a sanctuary for the animals instead. PETA’s letter comes on the heels of last week’s incident, during which an orca named Kasatka twice dragged a trainer underwater during a performance at SeaWorld San Diego, breaking the trainer’s foot and sending him to the hospital. PETA points out that this wasn’t the first time that Kasatka has attacked a trainer. Other orcas and dolphins—who are likely driven insane as a result of being confined to SeaWorld’s small tanks—have also injured employees and members of the public.
In 1993 and again in 1999, Kasatka attempted to bite trainers. And just a few weeks ago, another orca at SeaWorld dragged a trainer underwater. As recently as August 29 of this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited SeaWorld Orlando for failure to properly handle animals following several incidents in which members of the public were bitten while hand-feeding dolphins.
"Orcas and dolphins—who enjoy hundreds of square miles of open water in the wild—are confined to tiny tanks at places like SeaWorld, where they are forced to perform silly tricks," says PETA Director Debbie Leahy. "We’re calling on Anheuser-Busch to use its vast resources to create an ocean sanctuary for these animals so that they can live out the rest of their lives in peace."
www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=9298