Mark your calendars – May 7, 2016 is the next Empty the Tanks, an annual day of international protest against dolphin and whale captivity!
If you are one of the growing number of people who believe that all dolphins and whales deserve to be free, then we encourage you to join this day of action by finding an event in your city or town. If you don’t see an event near you, you can create one of your own!
This year's events are doubly important because SeaWorld has mislead many people into thinking that they "care" about dolphins and whales by announcing their phase-out of orca captivity. In reality, they are denying orcas any retirement and doubling down on their dolphin captivity business by adding a swim-with program at their San Antonio location.
Fortunately, there are ways you can act to empty the tanks every day of the year. Don't buy a ticket to places like SeaWorld, Marineland or any other facility that holds dolphins and whales captive. Encourage your family and friends to watch Blackfish, The Cove, A Fall From Freedom, Keiko- The Untold Story and other compelling educational documentaries.
And remember that captivity is closely tied to slaughter – the annual dolphin drive hunts that take place in Taiji, Japan are in fact subsidized by the captivity industry. While the prices vary, generally speaking a dead dolphin will be sold for $500-600, but a live, trained dolphin can be worth much more. For example, in 2007 Ocean World in the Dominican Republic paid Taiji $155,000 for their dolphins. Ultimately, the captivity industry provides the financial incentive and means for hunting wild dolphins in Taiji and other places.
Empty the Tanks was launched in 2013 and it has been increasing in popularity each year, as more people come to understand the true tragic cost behind captive entertainment. Hopefully 2016 will be bigger and better than ever, a testament to the turning tide of public opinion.
Join the call to Empty the Tanks and help put an end to the captive cetacean entertainment industry!
