Recently there have been several letters expressing opinions on the proposed dolphin facilities that they should be given a chance. They have also stated there isn’t any evidence to indicate that dolphins don’t enjoy their fate in these facilities.
I would hope these individuals aren’t in any way connected to the companies involved and attempting to counteract the overwhelming public opinion that these facilities should not be allowed to operate or hoping to acquire employment with them.
But they are certainly allowed to express their opinion. It’s most unfortunate that we are still debating whether animals like being kept in captivity, and whether we humans have the right to decide the fate of fellow creatures with whom we share the planet.
In any event the answer to the question as to whether dolphinariums should or should not be allowed seems to be quite obvious: connect the dolphin pools to the ocean. That would allow the dolphins to come and go as they please. In the event that they want to interact with humans they would be able to enter the facilities and do just that.
It would also do away with the way in which dolphins are captured because if they really do enjoy themselves they will arrive on their own accord. Otherwise there is absolutely no justification to these enterprises. And they will prove to be nothing more than an embarrassment, and another example of our conceit.
A. Creasey
