Tails from a Compassionate Planet

Japan Dolphin Day and 6 Things You Can Do to Help Dolphins

Our thoughts continue to be with the people and animals affected by Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami earlier this year. Sept. 1 is Japan Dolphin Day and the perfect opportunity to celebrate the triumphant spirit of this nation and its animals.

In light of recent films like The Cove and A Fall from Freedom, we wanted to share some easy, positive and powerful ways that you can all help dolphins around the world:

• Learn more about dolphins and why they should not be kept in captivity;

• Vow to never buy another ticket to a dolphin show or a “swim with the dolphins” facility;

• Sign petitions and support campaigns like Saddest Dolphins, which aims to free 25 wild-caught dolphins that will be used at Resorts World’s spa in Singapore;

• Spread the word: tell your friends and family about the plight of captive dolphins and encourage them to support humane wildlife-watching tours rather than captive dolphin programs;

• Write to travel companies, tourism boards and governments in countries with captive dolphins: explain why they should not keep dolphins and vow never to visit these facilities;

• Join an event in your city to celebrate Japan Dolphin Day or consider organizing an event (for more information on how to do this, check out Ric O’Barry’s blog post on SaveJapanDolphins.org).

Life's Not Peachy for Dolphins in Georgia

As reported by USA Today and other media outlets, the Georgia Aquarium - the largest aquarium in the world - recently unveiled a new dolphin theatrical show, AT&T Dolphin Tales. Multiple shows sold out almost immediately as families rushed to the exhibit… but what these animal lovers fail to understand is that dolphins – who are are highly intelligent and socially complex animals – suffer greatly in captivity.

Read related blogs on dolphins in captivity here and here.

Most of the dolphins at the Georgia Aquarium were born in captivity; however, all dolphins are wild animals and share the same physiological and psychological needs. No aquarium or captive facility can simulate vast ocean and coastal habitats, regardless of how large or well-constructed.  Add to that the artificial social groupings, transport between facilities and inability to escape other animals or human observers, and it’s no wonder why dolphins suffer extreme stress and fear, leading to chronic illness and even death while in captivity.

Dolphins are among the most charismatic creatures on the planet and it’s understandable what people are drawn to them. Sadly, animal-lovers who pay for these encounters only perpetuate the suffering of these amazing animals. The admission fee may be small, but the dolphins pay a much steeper price.

We recommend that anyone in the Atlanta area skip this attraction and check out other exciting experiences Atlanta has to offer.

Save the Dolphins: Keep St. Maarten Captivity-Free

It’s no wonder that the Caribbean Island of St. Maarten is a popular tourist destination and a frequent port of call for cruise ships – its white, sandy beaches and pristine ocean water make it a haven for vacationers around the world. Unfortunately, plans for a new dolphin aquarium (also known as a "dolphinarium") could soon turn the tropical island into a nightmare for some dolphins.

Dolphins who are forced to live in captivity at dolphin aquariums and “Swim with the Dolphins” facilities often develop stress-related conditions such as ulcers, display stereotypical behaviors such as pacing or self-mutilation, and suffer premature deaths. Yet, these facilities continue to thrive due to high tourist demand – allowing profit to take precedence over the welfare of animals.   

Earlier this month, rumors circulated about the establishment of a new “Swim with the Dolphins” facility on St. Maarten. In immediate response to the proposed idea, the dolphin protection group Dolphin Defenders St. Maarten (DDSM) launched an anti-captivity campaign – rallying support from locals and tourists, collecting petition signatures and conducting various education efforts.

WSPA has endorsed DDSM’s campaign and we will keep you posted on the progress, including DDSM’s outreach efforts at this week’s world-famous St. Maarten Regatta event.

Please help keep St. Maarten captivity-free by signing DDSM’s online petition.

Three Bears Rescued from Cruel Baiting Events in Pakistan

In rural Pakistan, thousands of spectators assemble to watch bear baiting events, in which trained dogs ferociously attack a clawless bear who is chained to the ground. The illegal contests are organized by powerful local landlords who pay bear owners to bring the animals to fight.

Today, three bears that were used in these cruel baiting events - Bhoori, Kaali and Leela - no long have to suffer.

Bioresource Research Centre (BRC) recently rescued the bears as part of an ongoing campaign with the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) to end bear baiting. After months of  negotiating with Bhoori, Kaali and Leela’s owners, BRC successfully persuaded them to hand over the bears and partake in new, cruelty-free livelihoods as part of  BRC’s Alternative Livelihood program.

Immediately after the handovers took place, Bhoori, Leela and Kaali were transported to the WSPA's Balkasar Sanctuary, where the staff carefully removed the rings that pierced the bears’ sensitive muzzles, cut away the leashes that wound tightly around their necks, and treated their wounds.

The bears are now in quarantine and, within a month, will join the other bears at Balkasar. Click here to read more about each bear or visit WSPA's Facebook page to view pictures of the bears being transported to and treated at Balkasar Sanctuary.

Image: Bhoori's owner bids her farewell as he hands her over to BRC staff (left). (c)WSPA

 

Help to End Captive Dolphin Program on the Las Vegas Strip

When you think of Las Vegas, you probably think of bright lights, loud casinos and Cirque du Soleil shows - not captive dolphins and dismal animal care.

Yet, since the opening of Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage Casino-Hotel in 1990, 12 out of 18 dolphins have died under the establishment's care - an estimated 70% mortality rate! What's more - living in captivity is a very unnatural and stressful environment for any dolphin.

In captivity, dolphins aren't able to feed, explore, mate or socialize as they would in their natural habitat, the ocean.  Because of this, they often develop stress-related conditions such as ulcers and display stereotypical behaviors such as pacing and self-mutilation.  The animal welfare issues go on and on.

Change.org advocates are currently petitioning for the rehabilitation and release of all the dolphins that are being held at the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, and asking The Mirage to discontinue its dolphin program.  So far, more than 60,000 people have taken action to end this senseless cruelty to dolphins - will you join these advocates and WSPA in signing the petition, too?

World Animal Week: Day 5 – Saying "Animals Matter to Me!"

Welcome to Day 5 - the last day of World Animal Week! This week has flown by and we've had so much fun celebrating animals with you! Our last topic of the week is saying "Animals Matter to Me."

As we've discussed this week, millions of animals around the world are suffering from a number of factors, including natural disasters, inhumane culling, factory farming and more. Because of this, we need a unifying, global solution to protect animals from cruelty now and in the future.

Today, we encourage you to please sign the "Animals Matter to Me" declaration!

By doing so, you'll join the more than 2.4 million people (including celebs like Simon Cowell, Leona Lewis, Igor Olshansky, Tiffani Thiessen and John Tartaglia) who have declared to governments and other decision makers that animals - and their welfare - matter to them.

As an added bonus, when you sign the declaration before this Sunday, October 10 at 9pm ET, you will be entered to win an amazing prize from WSPA! Our goal is to gather 10,000 new signatures to the declaration before Sunday, so please forward this on to your friends and family.

Good luck and thank you for making noise for animals!

World Animal Week: Day 4 – Protecting Marine Mammals and Protesting Japan's Dolphin Hunts

It's the fourth day of World Animal Week and we're making some noise to Protect Marine Mammals!

Today, WSPA will participate in the 6th annual international protest of Japan's dolphin slaughter, alongside the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition (MARC) and Cetacean Society International (CSI).

During Japan's annual dolphin hunts, fishermen herd dolphins and whales toward the shore, where they are either trapped in nets and brutally killed, or kept alive and sold to marine parks/zoos around the world. Some of you may have seen the documentary The Cove, which has brought worldwide condemnation to these activities.

What can you do to help?

1. Join us today at noon ET in front of the Japanese Consulate at Federal Reserve Plaza, 600 Atlantic Ave., Boston, Mass.
2. If you aren't in the Boston area, see if your city is holding a peaceful protest here.
3. We will also hold a discussion on our Facebook page this afternoon to recap the event and answer any questions you have about protecting dolphins and whales.

Also, don't forget to check back tomorrow for the fifth and final day of Making Noise for World Animal Week - we have a special surprise in store that you won't want to miss!

Make Some Noise for World Animal Week

World Animal Week is just around the corner and we can’t wait to celebrate, WSPA-style! Every day next week, we’ll reveal a new item on our Website – it could be a new video, a contest or a news story – and ask you to participate in a certain action to help celebrate animals. 

Want to join in on the fun? Here's all you have to do:

• Bookmark or RSS feed http://www.wspa-usa.org today – then, visit the site daily next week to see all five celebration activities
• Make sure you’re following WSPA USA on all of our social media channels, as we’ll be using them to celebrate next week

• “Like" our new Facebook page
• Follow us on Twitter
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Bookmark or RSS feed our “Tails from a Compassionate Planet” blog

We hope you’re as excited as we are…see you on Monday!

South Carolina’s “Bear Baying”: An Eerily Similar Practice to Pakistan’s “Bear Baiting”… Right in our Own Backyard

Investigators for The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), a WSPA member society, recently attended several bear baying competitions in South Carolina. What they found is shocking. In each event, a captive bear – with its claws and many teeth cut down or removed – was tethered in an arena. Teams after teams of dogs were then released into the arena to bark at and jump on the frightened, defenseless bear for hours at a time.

Many WSPA supporters have asked us the question: “What is the difference between bear baying and bear baiting?” According to our wildlife adviser and bear expert Victor Watkins, the two “sports” are very similar; however there are subtle differences between them:

“Bear baiting” takes place in Pakistan and is solely a form of entertainment. During bear baiting events, dogs try to pull down a bear (whose claws and teeth are cut down or removed) by biting at its muzzle and flanks. This is a "sport" to see if the bear can keep the dogs away or if the dogs can bring the bear to the floor. It allows for much physical contact, leaving both the bears and the dogs injured. Bear baiting is against the law in Pakistan, although illegal events still take place. WSPA has worked on this issue for several years and plans to continue our work until the practice is eradicated.

“Bear baying” takes place outside of Pakistan and is touted as a method used to train hunting dogs. Similar to bear baiting, bear baying uses a captive bear whose claws and teeth are cut down or removed. The bear is tethered in an arena and used to train dogs on how to keep a bear “at bay” during hunting (typically, by barking and chasing it.) As part of the training, the dogs may bite the bear, but it is not as frequent or severe as in bear baiting. South Carolina is the only US state in which bear baying is legal – and, while it is slightly less violent in nature than bear baiting, it is an equally inhumane practice.

WSPA and many of its supporters have joined the HSUS in contacting the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to voice our opposition on bear baying. We understand that many people are now having trouble getting through to the department due to the sheer volume of calls, but please don’t give up! And if you have any other questions about the HSUS investigation or what you can do to help, please contact the organization directly at http://www.humanesociety.org/about/contact/.

Image of bear baiting (c)WSPA

Bullfighting: A Lose-Lose Situation for Bulls and Matadors

Today, several media outlets - including CNN, The New York Times and LA Times - reported on veteran Spanish matador, Jose Tomas, who was gored by a bull during a bullfight in Mexico on Sunday. Tomas is expected to survive the incident (in fact, he has experienced more than a dozen similar attacks in the past.) But what about the fate of the bull, Navengante who, in all likelihood, also sustained serious injuries and will not survive this incident?

The bullfighting industry is responsible for the deaths and maiming of more than 250,000 bulls and hundreds of horses every year. Yesterday's incident comes at a time when the industry is losing ground in traditional bullfighting strongholds like Catalonia, Spain, and reiterates WSPA's concerns that bullfighting is an extremely cruel and dangerous practice that doesn't end well for bull, or matador.

To learn more about bullfighting, please read other Compassionate Planet blog entries or visit the WSPA site.

Bullfight (c) ADDA