PETA Statement: Miami Seaquarium Racks Up Animal Welfare Citations

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2024

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Miami-Dade County gave the Miami Seaquarium until this Sunday, April 21, to vacate the premises, but while the facility claims it will fight this decision, yet another just-released U.S. Department of Agriculture report reveals another slew of violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act.

The report, issued in March and now available, stems from a January inspection that revealed the Seaquarium had failed to provide necessary veterinary care to sea lions and dolphins, which led to the deaths of two sea lions, including Sushi, who had been suffering immensely since at least September, during which time she lost 52 pounds. Other violations relate to a dolphin found with multiple rib fractures—likely from separate attacks by incompatible tankmates—and a thin dolphin suffering from apparent tooth erosion and whose left eye was closed, indicating pain and discomfort. In addition to the failure to provide appropriate veterinary care to these animals, the report noted that because the attending veterinarian had to focus on critical cases, some animals hadn’t received routine and preventive care for over a year.

Below, please find a statement from PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman:

The Miami Seaquarium continues to rack up animal welfare citations, but as the clock ticks for its ouster, PETA hopes everyone will stay away from this shoddy facility.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.