Animal welfare advocate & dolphin swims

[CarolynU]

This is a very difficult issue. I always feel uncomfortable in Seaworld for example and have now stopped going there. However, last year on the cruise I booked the Blue Lagoon dolphin swim for my adult daughter because I knew she would love it so much, and she did. My son phoned me up when he knew we'd booked it and asked us to watch The Cove and said no matter how well the dolphins are treated by any establishment this movie would put us off ever doing it again.
In the end I left the excursion booked, and my daughter had a blast. They did say that virtually all the dolphins had been bred at Blue Lagoon. Whether or not that's true I've no idea, but I've vowed never to book anything like it again. If we want to see dolphins we'll take a trip and try and see them swimming freely in the wild.

 

[vegs1]

I think the issue about the dolphins is more about how they are captured than how they are treated in captivity.

Also, the lagoons they are held in are in no way the size of the ocean they would swim in. Dolphins normally stay in a family pod and I've read that they can swim over 100 miles per day.....certainly not what they'll be swimming on a dolphin encounter.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I can't speak for the other dophin encounters,but the one in Nassau, is really great for the animals..........large ocean pens.

All the dophins are rescues or off spring of recues......some were so badly injured they cannot be released.

AKK

 

[catislander]

I realize everyone has -- and is entitled to -- their own opinions, but if you're already hesitant I wouldn't do it. The Cove is certainly an eye-opener. In the United States the origin of captive dolphins is public record, but in other countries they may tell you where the dolphins come from, but there is no guarantee that they are not wild caught.
There are some amazing places to see wild dolphins. I was at a barbecue last night and watched common dolphins fishing with sea lions about 200 feet offshore. I know my living situation is different from most, but you will cruising to places with wild dolphin populations; I would think your conscience would be better served by supporting businesses that offer experiences with those dolphins.

 

[Page4]

I realize everyone has -- and is entitled to -- their own opinions, but if you're already hesitant I wouldn't do it. The Cove is certainly an eye-opener. In the United States the origin of captive dolphins is public record, but in other countries they may tell you where the dolphins come from, but there is no guarantee that they are not wild caught.
There are some amazing places to see wild dolphins. I was at a barbecue last night and watched common dolphins fishing with sea lions about 200 feet offshore. I know my living situation is different from most, but you will cruising to places with wild dolphin populations; I would think your conscience would be better served by supporting businesses that offer experiences with those dolphins.

What was on the BBQ? Just kidding with you.

 

[mbb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRD8e20fBo

http://www.thecovemovie.com/

We just saw this movie not too long ago on one of the movie channels...and until then, we have soooo wanted to do the swiming with the dolphins excursion..

Now, we're not sure what we'll do.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I'm sorry but I just can't bring myself to do it. I've had plenty of opportunity to swim with them but I just can't.

 

[Lilbunnyk]

I can't speak for the other dophin encounters,but the one in Nassau, is really great for the animals..........large ocean pens.

All the dophins are rescues or off spring of recues......some were so badly injured they cannot be released.

AKK

If you look at the blue lagoon website you will see that a lot of the dolphins were "collected" from Abaco and the rest were bred from these dolphins. A lot of dolphin encounter programs use the word "rescue" because these dolphins are "rescued" after they are herded into an area where they are either killed or bought by an aquarium or dolphin swim program.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Well of course I have only thier word.....but the movie and the animals we saw showed the injured/healed animals and the medical attention they recieved.

AKK

 

[Fellowship9798]

I can understand your reservations regarding a dolphin swim, but please don't extend those to include zoos. Most zoos work in conservation and have breeding programs and animal exchanges to ensure continuation of species. Also, most (not all, but most) of the animals you see in a zoo were either bred in captivity or rescued as orphans, and wouldn't make it in the wild.

Both of my parents are docents for a zoo here in Colorado and they sure don't exploit the animals, except of course feeding the giraffes crackers, although if you asked the giraffes, they may not like you taking that away!

I might be a bit of a contradiction, but I support properly run zoos and to a lesser degree Sea World for the educational aspects and the intrest and respect they can generate in people for the animals, particularly kids. However, something about the "dolphin swim" doesn't sit right with me. I understand that the dolphins are not "made to" interact but forcing two species into the same enclosed space that they normally wouldn't share, for the amusement of the people and profit of the owners seems to be an issue to me. At well run zoos there is seperate space for the animals, areas they can retreat into when they don't want to be out, breeing and conservation programs, etc.

I can admit that this reasoning may have some (or many) contractictions in it, but to me it boils down to the educational and conservation focus of a zoo which I can support vs. the "for your amusement and our profit" nature of the dolphin swim which I don't.

Those who want to go, I have no problem with you, but it's not for me.

 

[D15NEY]

We did Discovery Cove in Florida--it was better than any dolphin experience/swim I've seen on any of the islands. Florida law limits you to 30 minutes of interaction in the water with the dolphin, you will have about 15 minutes before that with a trainer.

We were told that they can't "make" the dolphins do anything they don't want to do. Each dolphin has a different call signal, and they would call a dolphin over, but if he/she didn't want to come or interact, they'd call another one. They make the point that all of their dolphins are either rescue animals (who are usually not part of the interaction) or bred in the park. She also told us that they have three times as many trained/interacting dolphins as they use in any one session, so the dolphins essentially interact for 30 minutes, then get an hour off.

You'll have to use your own judgement...DD loved it, and in no way did it seem cruel.

This is good to know too, we're going to Discovery Cove in October for our fall break before the mother/daughter cruise.

I don't want to get flamed here but I'll just add my little bit.

Over the 11 years we have visited Orlando we have done SW numourous times and DC a couple of times for b-days.

However that all changed a couple of years back after hearing about the movie 'The Cove' via the Sea Shepherd website.

I must admit I found the actual movie informative but it was really the last 15 mins that truly broke my heart and had me sobbing.

It was then I swore I would never darken the gates of SW or DC again.

SW dolphins don't all come from rescue or their breeding programme.

 

[lark]

Add me to the list.

We did a Dolphin encounter last year. I thought briefly about this issue, but didn't really consider it that much. The dolphins at the facility we went to seemed well-cared for and it was big and natural looking. I figured, they are well fed, they seem happy, nothing is going to harm them here. So what's the problem?

A few months ago, we saw the Cove. Now I wish we'd never gone. Our cute picture of us all smiling with the dolphin doesn't seem quite as cute to me any more. It just makes me feel bad. I'm not an animal activist by any means. I mean, I like to think I'm relatively sensitive to those sorts of issues without getting crazy about it. And I'm usually disinclined toward zealotry of any sort.

But after seeing that movie, there is simply no way I will ever contribute another penny to the machinery that creates the environment in which these spectacular creatures can be so brutally treated. It's not my place to judge anyone else. They are magnificent creatures and the draw to be close to them is very powerful. And, I had my dolphin encounter, so it's easy for me now to have an opinion about what others should do -- so I'm not trying to do that. But, to the OP, since you asked, there it is. Just one person's experience.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

I don't want to get flamed here but I'll just add my little bit.

Over the 11 years we have visited Orlando we have done SW numourous times and DC a couple of times for b-days.

However that all changed a couple of years back after hearing about the movie 'The Cove' via the Sea Shepherd website.

I must admit I found the actual movie informative but it was really the last 15 mins that truly broke my heart and had me sobbing.

It was then I swore I would never darken the gates of SW or DC again.

SW dolphins don't all come from rescue or their breeding programme.

Do you have a source for this? I did a search, and didn't find anything but an old PETA reference that was angry that they didn't report a couple of stillbirths, nothing about where thier dolphins come from besides thier breeding programs.

 

[Illnevergrowup]

I am also a convert since watching The Cove.

Although this won't help for your cruise vacation this time around, you can always plan a trip to Disney's Hilton Head resort and book a tour with one of the local dolphin cruises/tours. Its a great opportunity for your family to really experience these amazing animals up close, but in their natural environment. The dolphins will come right up to the boats and interact with the people.

Oh, and the resort is pretty nice, too!

 

[Silverfox97]

DH is another convert after watching The Cove (I have yet to see it ~ putting it off until I need a good cry.....). We last went to Sea World in 2006 and he doesn't want to go back anymore............

 

[MouseLovinMom]

I would encourage anyone who is considering an animal encounter of any kind to do their homework. Please remember that many people and organizations on BOTH sides of the issue have an agenda that often is financially driven. They may or may not present the whole truth in an effort to support their position.

Make the decision that feels right to you. If the animals are treated with respect, well cared for, and the facility is reputable there is no definitive right or wrong answer.

 

[lark]

If the animals are treated with respect, well cared for, and the facility is reputable there is no definitive right or wrong answer.

I don't know if you've seen the movie that many in thread are talking about, but if you're interested you might want to check it out -- whatever you think about the issue itself it also happens to be an extraordinarily well made documentary. But if you do see it, you'll see that it's not about the dolphins that are actually selected to be sent to the facilities -- even the reputable ones. That's not the issue. What the movie shows is the previously unknown (and extremely well hidden) story of what happens at the catching grounds to the several hundred dolphins out of every group that is not selected to go to the facilities.

 

[Makayna]

I don't know if you've seen the movie that many in thread are talking about, but if you're interested you might want to check it out -- whatever you think about the issue itself it also happens to be an extraordinarily well made documentary. But if you do see it, you'll see that it's not about the dolphins that are actually selected to be sent to the facilities -- even the reputable ones. That's not the issue. What the movie shows is the previously unknown (and extremely well hidden) story of what happens at the catching grounds to the several hundred dolphins out of every group that is not selected to go to the facilities.

It's an instant watch on Netflix. I'm debating watching it. Not sure if I want to. I'm scared to watch it. I like to be informed, but I'm also scared. I've done the dolphin swims before (about 13 years ago) and loved it and have always wanted to do it again. It sounds like if I watch this movie, I won't want to anymore. But at the same time, I'm kinda curious.

I'm also very curious if the information is accurate. As someone else pointed out, a lot of times, people will leave out information to best suit their agenda. I'm not saying this is the case, but it does happen.

Again, I'm debating watching it. Wondering if I should.

 

[lark]

I'm also very curious if the information is accurate. As someone else pointed out, a lot of times, people will leave out information to best suit their agenda. I'm not saying this is the case, but it does happen.

There are spoilers about the movie here, to answer the question. So don't read on if you don't want to know about the movie.

It's kind of what's so compelling about the movie. It's not really about information to promote an agenda. In the end, it's a spy story, which involves hidden cameras, sleuthing, and avoiding some pretty scary local fisherman with police protection who don't want to be filmed. It's not just interviews with activists telling you stuff. It is a movie that is compelling to watch, even for people like me who never considered themselves much interested in watching an animal rights movie, because while that is where you may end up, it's really just a really compelling documentary following some incredibly interesting people doing some pretty sophisticated stuff.

At the end, what you see is not really open for interpretation. Perhaps the implications of what you see on screen can be debated by reasonable people. The movie doesn't try. It really doesn't need to. In the end, you see what you see. You can draw your own conclusions and do your own research after about what you think it should mean.

Edit: I should add, there is a significant part of the movie that is also about high levels of concentration of mercury in certain types of seafood. That's a part where you might wonder if they are leaving bits out; but I think most of the people talking about the movie in this thread are not really referring to that part of it all.

 

[act1980]

Wow, that is really terrible. I have just ordered this movie to rent. I am scared about watching it but I want to know more.

I was considering a dolphin swim at either DC or in Nassau when I do the DC but I won't be doing either now.

Not sure I will ever set foot in Seaworld again either.