Free The Epcot Dolphins?

skimbob

Well-Known Member
My understanding is that now the only dolphins in captivity are those born & raised in captivity or were rescued from the ocean as previously stated by another comment on this post. At least that is the case at a park here in California. I have encountered dolphins in the wild surfing as well as in captivity. If we did not have dolphins in parks people would stop caring about their plight. I have done dolphin encounters as well as trainer for a day programs here at home and the dolphins are all very well cared for. I helped sort the fish that they eat and worked with the trainers and the dolphins giving them the enrichment they need. Many of the things dolphins are trained to do help with the animal husbandry to make sure they are as healthy as possible. They do daily body checks in addition to blood work and weight checks. They also control the amount of food they consume during different times of year to make sure they do not become overweight. The dolphins do feel. As an example of that I played ball with the dolphins during a trainer for a day program and when I went back the following week with my little cousins we went to the underwater viewing area where two of the females I worked with the week before proceeded to bring a ball over to the window trying to once again play. Unfortunately since I was not in the program I could not toss the ball to them. My point is they remembered me and wanted to once again play with me. They love all of the attention they get from the trainers and they do form bonds.
 

Andrew C

You know what's funny?
If research programs and conversation funds at places like AK didn't exist, many of the species you seem to care so deeply about would be extinct. Lots of what is learned in these environments in addition to the money raised goes a long way to educate people to live side by side with animals within the environment rather than killing animals to protect their property or destroying their natural habitats. This is essential to get what you seem to desire.
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
I'm sorry I have to disagree with you. I see my dog smile, cry, get nervous, get excited, get angry, etc... I've been to zoos where the animals are obviously depressed. Animals have feelings, even though they may not be as complex as humans.

Please go back and re-read my post. I said that unless an animal's brain has a limbic system (that part of the brain responsible for emotions, not physical reactions to stimuli, like pain), it is unable to have "emotions" similar and complex as humans. Emotions are what set us apart from other animals. And I doubt your dog is really smiling. Any dog with a relaxed, open mouth and stuck out tongue looks like it is smiling, even though that may be far from the case.
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
They are stolen from the ocean and bred in captivity...

I sure wish you would educate yourself. The dolphins at Disney are NOT stolen from the wild. They are most likely, as others have said, rescued. The Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed in 1972, LONG before EPCOT opened. The Act prohibits the capture of ANY marine mammal in U.S. territorial waters for exhibition purposes.
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
I don't have time to reply to everybody I have things to do. I don't sit behind a screen all day.

And you obviously fail to educate yourself about laws to protect and organizations that accredit facilities that house wild animals.

Like I said, if you want to champion the plight of animals, find a more appropriate venue. Because all of your posts demonstrate a clear lack of knowledge and a refusal to educate.

I've spent years in the protection of Florida's resources - water, air, animal. I've worked on the regulatory side with stakeholders. Yeah, some are bad, but I've also worked with those in animal care that are truly passionate about what they do and the animals they care for. And they work for organizations like Sea World. And they are not minimum wage employees, either. Many are highly respected scientists - biologists, vets, geologists, etc., in their field.

So, Princess, if you really care, go volunteer. Be a foster parent for an abused animal so that it can eventually find a quality forever home. Donate. Adopt a manatee from the Save the Manatee Club. Do something more construction than post on this forum.
 

Princess Kaylee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
And you obviously fail to educate yourself about laws to protect and organizations that accredit facilities that house wild animals.

Like I said, if you want to champion the plight of animals, find a more appropriate venue. Because all of your posts demonstrate a clear lack of knowledge and a refusal to educate.

I've spent years in the protection of Florida's resources - water, air, animal. I've worked on the regulatory side with stakeholders. Yeah, some are bad, but I've also worked with those in animal care that are truly passionate about what they do and the animals they care for. And they work for organizations like Sea World. And they are not minimum wage employees, either. Many are highly respected scientists - biologists, vets, geologists, etc., in their field.

So, Princess, if you really care, go volunteer. Be a foster parent for an abused animal so that it can eventually find a quality forever home. Donate. Adopt a manatee from the Save the Manatee Club. Do something more construction than post on this forum.


I do foster animals, I currently have 3 pit bulls waiting for a forever home living in my house. I donate to countless animal foundations, and I volunteer at my local SPCA. I am educated, I've done hours of research on captvity and I've decided I'm against it. Sure there are zoos that do care about the welfare of animals, but few do and that's the problem.
 

wm49rs

A naughty bit o' crumpet
Premium Member
I do foster animals, I currently have 3 pit bulls waiting for a forever home living in my house. I donate to countless animal foundations, and I volunteer at my local SPCA. I am educated, I've done hours of research on captvity and I've decided I'm against it. Sure there are zoos that do care about the welfare of animals, but few do and that's the problem.
And so you've decided that WDW doesn't care about the welfare of its animals? How judicial of you....
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
They pace back and forth. Having pets is different. My dog is from a puppy mill, she is so much happier now. I don't put her on display and have people tapping her glass. Your argument is invalid.

And so is yours....

If you are so concerned about the plight of animals, what have YOU done to get rid of puppy mills? Written members of the legislature in your state, outlining the horrible conditions? Written your U.S. senator/congressman asking for the same? Support - both with your time and money - those organizations that want to outlaw puppy mills? Petition local pet shops and ask them NOT to purchase their stock from puppy mills?

Because unless you've done ANY of the above, you are just another individual who loves animals but does nothing construction to improve their plight. And those of us who have worked in the field really dislike ill-informed individuals like you because you make our jobs that much harder. Because when we go up against powerful lobbies like recreation boaters or fishermen in Florida as we attempt to enact rules to protect Florida's flora and fauna, some legislator always mentions people like you......usually with an adjective like "tree hugger". To try to prove our science is questionable.
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
I do foster animals, I currently have 3 pit bulls waiting for a forever home living in my house. I donate to countless animal foundations, and I volunteer at my local SPCA. I am educated, I've done hours of research on captvity and I've decided I'm against it. Sure there are zoos that do care about the welfare of animals, but few do and that's the problem.

Well, good for you, I'm glad.

However, you are going to lose this argument, mainly because you are arguing with someone who happens to have some expert knowledge and experience in this area. While, yes, there are some facilities that fail to provide proper care for the animals they house, many do care and try to provide the best, given their lack of resources. It takes money, lots of it. Zoos and aquariums operate not only on gate revenues, but donations. And many are starved for funds. Not every zoo or aquarium has the financial resources like a Sea World or Disney. But without Sea World in Orlando, our job to protect the Florida manatee would have been that much harder because we, as a state agency, didn't have anywhere near the financial resources they do.
 

Ariel Savage

Active Member
I remember reading on another thread that a poster was upset at seeing the dolphins because they seemed "sad." She contacted WDW customer service when she got home from their trip and was told more about how the dolphins are treated and kept. She was also told that some (all?) of the dolphins were rescues. In the end, the poster said she felt much better. I agree with others are saying: you can't true free a dolphin that's been kept in a pool all its life. It's a more difficult situation than that.
 

Dead2009

Horror Movie Guru
I do foster animals, I currently have 3 pit bulls waiting for a forever home living in my house. I donate to countless animal foundations, and I volunteer at my local SPCA. I am educated, I've done hours of research on captvity and I've decided I'm against it. Sure there are zoos that do care about the welfare of animals, but few do and that's the problem.

And you've done 0 hours of research on sea life that are overfished for their fins, their meat among other things. You'll turn a blind eye to dolphins and whales that drown in fishing nets but will be outraged at those who take animals like that in because in your mind you'd rather let nature take its course than an animal be safe.
 

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