Due in part to plummeting ticket sales, SeaWorld is reportedly laying off hundreds of staffers. That news prompted PETA and local activists to hold demonstrations over the weekend in front of SeaWorld parks in Orlando and San Diego in order to call on the corporation to retire the orcas who are languishing in the theme … Read more »
Paul, the octopus who correctly “predicted” the outcome of seven World Cup matches and the final, has been found dead in his tank in a German aquarium. PETA Germany has appealed to aquarium officials not to subject another intelligent and fascinating octopus to a life of confinement to a tank. In the sea where they … Read more »
Another day, another death at SeaWorld. The latest casualty is a 25-year-old orca named Kalina who died yesterday at the theme park’s Orlando location, far short of most orcas’ expected 50- to 60-year life span. As usual, SeaWorld will likely try to keep this death on the down low. Kalina spent two and a half … Read more »
Backing up claims made by Linda Simons, SeaWorld’s former head of safety, Michelle Dillard, a former human resources director at SeaWorld, has come forward to report that the marine park attempted to block an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) into the death of Dawn Brancheau, who was killed by an orca named Tilikum in February. … Read more »
First, there was the jaw-dropping story of a British woman who was caught on camera tossing an affectionate cat into an outdoor trash bin. Then, it was an Eastern European girl who slung crying puppies into a fast-moving stream. Now, right here in America, some people have imprisoned a dog inside a box barely bigger … Read more »
PETA activists demonstrated in front of all three SeaWorld locations this weekend—in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio—to remind visitors and passersby about the rising death toll at these abusement parks. In another development, former SeaWorld trainers are calling on federal authorities to reject the corporation’s latest public-relations ploy: to provide “spare air” … Read more »
Giles Douglas / CC by 2.0 Two ailing dolphins who have been languishing in a filthy, cramped tank in Turkey are on the road to recovery after PETA Germany and the marvelous charity Born Free took action. And after The Sun—the U.K.’s best-selling newspaper—ran an exposé about Tom and Misha’s plight, PETA Germany staffers … Read more »
The death toll continues to rise at SeaWorld with the passing of a 12-year-old orca named Sumar at the theme-park chain’s San Diego location. Sumar died far short of the expected 50-to-60 year lifespan of orcas who roam the vast oceans, his rightful home. Whatever caused Sumar’s death (and let’s hope that there will be … Read more »
Ten-year-old Bobby Connell has spent the last six months plagued by nightmares after witnessing Tilikum the killer whale batter SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau to death right in front of his eyes. Bobby’s father, in a suit filed against SeaWorld, said his son “saw the look of horror and desperation on Dawn’s face as she … Read more »
An investigation by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) into the “death by orca” of trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld Orlando has resulted in three citations against the marine park for safety violations, including willfully exposing employees to life-threatening hazards when interacting with orcas. OSHA assessed SeaWorld with the maximum penalty—a $75,000 fine. … Read more »
Linda Simons, SeaWorld’s former safety chief, told PETA that she was fired from her job after she cooperated with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigation into the death of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was battered to death by an orca named Tilikum, aka Tilly. We linked Simons up with Good Morning America … Read more »
As soccer fans all over the world are packing up their vuvuzelas, PETA Germany is petitioning for the retirement and release of Paul the prophetic octopus, who correctly chose the winners in eight match-ups, including Spain’s win yesterday over the Netherlands. No one deserves to spend an entire life locked in a glass box, … Read more »
eschipul / CC by 2.0 It takes a big man to admit he’s made a mistake, and they don’t come any bigger, at least in the travel world, than Arthur Frommer. In a blog post earlier this month, Frommer expressed regret for the times that he recommended SeaWorld in his popular travel guides: … Read more »
From plane flyovers to 18-hour tub-ins, people are saying “enough” to SeaWorld’s exploitation of orcas, bottlenose dolphins, and other animals. And now, even if you live nowhere near Orlando, San Antonio, or San Diego—where SeaWorld forces marine mammals to spend their entire lives in tiny tanks—you can still make a difference for animals if … Read more »
