Successful lobby against dolphins in entertainment
May 16, 2007
WSPA congratulates Animal Friends Croatia for successful lobbying against a new Croatian dolphinarium.
The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) applauds Animal Friends Croatia, for a successful lobbying campaign and preventing the opening of a dolphinarium in the Croatian town of Vodnjan – a wonderful achievement especially during the UN-initiated Year of the Dolphin.
The dolphinarium was intended to be a special attraction within a new aqua-park called ‘Aquamania’, planned by the Vodnjan authorities together with Hungarian investors, Aqua Adora.
The attraction was due to open in May 2008, bringing in five dolphins and their trainers from Cuba – despite the recently passed Croatian Animal Protection Act, which became effective on January 1st 2007. The act prohibits the use of wild animals in entertainment, such as circuses or other animal shows.
When Animal Friends Croatia – a WSPA Member Society – learned of the plans, they applied for assistance from the WSPA to bolster their intensive campaign to stop the project. The WSPA was able to provide financial backing and partnership support for the Croatian-led campaign, which ran a powerful local and national campaign against the dolphinarium.
Dave Eastham, the WSPA’s Head of Wildlife said: “The WSPA is against the use of animals for commercial gain or human entertainment and is proud to support Animal Friends Croatia in this campaign.”
Dolphins are highly social animals, who in their natural ocean habitat, swim together covering distances up to 100 miles per day. A tank in a dolphinarium cannot compare to a dolphin’s natural oceanic surroundings and the stress of captivity can weaken their immune systems.
Half of the world’s captive dolphins die due to the cruelty of their capture and confinement, with intestinal disease, chlorine poisoning and stress-related illness among the causes of death.
Animal Friends Croatia worked with dolphin expert Richard O’Barry from the Earth Island Institute in Florida, USA, to lobby The Mayor of Vodnjan and Croatian government officials to stop the development.
Their educational lobbying approach worked and a recent announcement from the mayor stated that the dolphinarium would no longer be included in the planned aqua-park. Their campaign got an extra boost when Croatian authorities announced plans to ban holding of dolphin species in captivity, bringing Croatia closer to a complete legal ban on dolphin capture.
Dave Eastham adds, “This success is a fantastic example of the WSPA‘s work around the world to help local groups bring an end to the exploitation of animals for entertainment.”