Over the past two years, four bottlenose dolphins died an early death at the Dolphinaris facility near Scottsdale, Arizona, in the desert where no dolphins should ever be kept.
For a hefty fee, Dolphinaris has offered swim-with-dolphins “experiences” to tourists since opening in 2016.
The International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute is calling upon the federal Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US Department of Agriculture to shut down Dolphinaris permanently and ensure that no new dolphins are ever brought there again.
(Dolphinaris has moved the last four dolphins to the Virgin Islands and is now claiming that they will no longer have any dolphins at their facility in the Arizona desert, where four dolphins died over the past two years. Frankly, I'm not sure I trust them, but importantly the US Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible for allowing Dolphinaris to open and remain open despite the deaths of many dolphins. Please continue to contact APHIS (see below) and keep the pressure on them for reform. Thanks! )
YOU CAN HELP!
Please contact APHIS and urge them to permanently shut down Dolphinaris with no live dolphins ever again. Urge APHIS to reform their efforts so tragedies like Dolphinaris no longer occure. APHIS needs to reform its oversight of captive dolphins and whales.
Write to:
Mr. Gregory Ibach, Under Secretary
US Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service
US Department of Agriculture
4700 River Road
Riverdale, MD 20737
EMAIL: APHIS Animal Welfare Office: acwest@aphis.usda.gov
Phone APHIS Customer Service Line: 1-844-820-2234
Phone Animal Welfare Office: Phone: (970) 494-7478
Fax: (970) 494-7461
Thank you for your support for the dolphins!
IMMP’s Letter to APHIS:
Mr. Gregory Ibach, Under Secretary February 20, 2019
US Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service
US Department of Agriculture
4700 River Road
Riverdale, MD 20737
Dear Under Secretary Ibach:
Pursuant to your authority under the provisions of the US Marine Mammal Projection Act, we urge the US Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to see that the dolphinarium known as “Dolphinaris” near Scottsdale, Arizona, not re-open with any live dolphins.
It is beyond belief that this facility, condemned extensively for opening in the first place, has been allowed by APHIS to remain open as four dolphins have died over the past two years.
Captivity is very hard on dolphins, which APHIS ought to recognize. Putting these intelligent and long-lived animals in small tanks to do repetitive tricks or swim repeatedly with tourists is the height of cruelty. Yet, these dolphins were put into a desert location where their immune system, impaired from the boredom and stress of captivity, could not cope with the environmental extremes.
Even in captivity, bottlenose dolphins can achieve an age of 30-40 years or more. Yet, these dolphins died at the ages of 8, 8, 11, and 22 years old.
APHIS has been remiss in allowing Dolphinaris to open and to remain open.
Please shut Dolphinaris down now.
Sincerely,
David Phillips, Director Mark J. Palmer, Associate Director
International Marine Mammal Project International Marine Mammal Project
Earth Island Institute Earth Island Institute
Wild Dolphins Photo by Michael Nolan.
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