How do you feel about Sea World, ethically? Is AK better?

[spc67carr]

OP you are going to Discovery Cove right? Well that's SeaWorld and admission to SeaWorld is free with DC ticket so technically they already got your money and you are supporting it that way...technically. So if you go to DC you might as well enjoy your Seaworld visit. There are plenty of companies that are doing animal testing for example. In your daily life you are using those products without a second thought. Clorox, Church and Dwight, Johnson and Johnson... just to name a few big ones. Is it always necessary? No! Cows, Chicken, Pigs you eat are kept in bad conditions etc. I am not vegan, I do eat meat and I use most of those products so for me then to complain about a place like Seaworld ... I just don't know. I personally cannot make a difference in saying Dolphins etc. deserve a better treatment than your average pork chop or the bunny or monkey in the lab. That's why i cannot say I boycott Seaworld but buy my clorox bleach without a second thought. But that's just my opinion.

 

[nugov2]

I haven't read through all of this thread, but here is my 2 cents.

If you boycott/are against sw you should feel the same about Ak/EP. They are IMO in the same buisness. I don't get how you can draw a line between Orcas vs Dolphins in captivity or large animals even like giraffes vs Orcas. Compared to what a giraffe habitat is in the wild vs what it is at AK is cruel. It is slightly better than the Orca tanks. Giraffes are actually know to travel in a habitat to up 175 miles. Close proximity to other giraffes in captivity can cause them stress and a whole host of medical problems. They are anxious animals. Giraffes in the wild will bond with some in the herd and then after time bond with different ones. Similar to human relationships. If there are only a few in captivity they are forced to bond with the same few. Again, I don't know how many are kept at WDW, but similar to the orcas if they are not happy with their "pals" they are not really free to break free from the group. The habitat at AK is less than 10%(maybe just 2%) of the size of their typical habitat in the wild. That is IMO just as bad as Orca captivity.

Disney tried to make a deal to breed their dolphins that they have in captivity. They have had animal deaths at AK due to accidental poisoning by a employee planting the wrong plants and also other incidents that resulted in animal deaths. They are just a Google search away if you are interested. They definitely have blood on their hands.

Now with all that said I do not boycott any of those places because I think they all operate in as caring of a way you can with animals in captivity. That the people who work there truly love and care for them. I strongly feel if you boycott one though you should boycott them all. WDW is just as guilty of keeping animals in captivity that do not belong there or have them in an environment that is cruel in comparison to their natural habitat.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

If anyone has any problem with the way these big companies do business in the care of their animal reevaluate yourself if you had someone come in your house and tell you your not treating your dog, cat or whatever pet you have.

All these companies have vets and employee people who LOVE animals. If these animals weren't on display I would have no chance to see these beautiful creatures in the wild...these people take excellent care of them too.

Again imagine if someone came in your house and told you your apartment is too small or your not feeding your animal the right way that you love and care for everyday...food for thought.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I wonder how Disney has stayed under the radar regarding the dolphins at Epcot. That tank is horrible.

Found this-

https://www.change.org/p/free-the-disney-dolphins

And this-
http://www.freethedisneydolphins.org

 

[sookie]

Just for the record.....AK Amina ate very well keep, have a.great deal of space/ living room.

The orginial animals of AK were something like 85% animals obtained as excess, from other parks/ zoos and 6% caught in the wild. The balance from bedding programs.

The best way to help am al is to lrea. About them and that is best done with good -zoos, parks lime AK and programs.

Dispite what the media is parroting these days , these.animals love the relationships with there keepers and train ers and actually enjoy the shows they put on.

they are not wild and would have a very hard time surviving in the wild.


AKK

With all the errors in this post, I can't even understand it. Can you re-write this? Because really, this is awful. Even for a message board. I stared at it for at least 20 minutes before I just finally gave up.

 

[Jennasis]

I'm fine with Sea World. I look forward to visiting someday.

 

[rigs32]

What surprised me the most was that "trainers" at Sea World or other marine parks aren't required to have any specific sort of training or education related to the animals.

The number of deaths, injuries, or other scary incidents regarding animals in captivity is documented. There have been multiple incidents at Sea World. The former trainers featured in Blackfish claim that type of information was not provided to them by Sea World. I think that is wrong and these employees have the right to know what they're getting themselves into.

 

[Kbee]

What surprised me the most was that "trainers" at Sea World or other marine parks aren't required to have any specific sort of training or education related to the animals.

The number of deaths, injuries, or other scary incidents regarding animals in captivity is documented. There have been multiple incidents at Sea World. The former trainers featured in Blackfish claim that type of information was not provided to them by Sea World. I think that is wrong and these employees have the right to know what they're getting themselves into.

Do all other employers disclose every incident that has happened to potential employees?
Are you saying that these trainers had no idea there were risks involved with working with wild animals? I don't even work and I know there are risks involved.
If these things were documented, why couldn't those trainers find the info on their own before agreeing to work there?

 

[lauradis]

Wow, do any of you know the life of truly wild animals? Dogs and cats where wild at sometime. Do you not eat meat? I have never understood the anti zoo, but birds, rabbits, rats, fish, dogs and cats are ok???

Sea World has done more good in the name of marine life and all it cost was couple of animals. Ever science has its price.

 

[Ceila]

I hate sea world for this. Animals don't need to perform for humans. I hate them so much.

Anyone who thinks its ok to abuse an animal for money should be locked up. Dogs are not the same as whales or Dolphins or sea lions. They deserve to live free.

Why do you see a difference between dogs and the other animals you listed?

 

[CPT Tripss]

Just want to point out that SeaWorld did not go on with business as usual, after the incident the shows were changed and trainers are not longer in the water with the Orcas as they were before

Rubbish, it's not something they decided to do out of the goodness of their heart. OSHA forced SeaWorld to take the humans out of the water after the last death of a human in the pool caused by an orca. SeaWorld did not take that action on their own, they fought OSHA every step of the way. And lost in every one of their efforts to go back to business as usual.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Can't speak for Seaworld. I know a vet that works for Disney at AK. Anytime I have ever asked she has told me the animals truley are cared for and don't run the risk of poachers. Those that preach animals should never be in "cages" need to go visit the real wild life preserves in Africa and see what poachers do to animals like the black rhino for their horns. That truley is where disgust should be placed.

Orca are not endangered, not subject to poaching, and they thrive in their pods in the waters they inhabit. Whatever the reality of SeaWorld's rescue program with other sea life, it doesn't involve orca.

Some here have asserted that trained captive animals can't just be released. Yep, that's true. But why has SeaWorld continued to inbreed their captive population in order to expand and continue their exhibitions? Corporate greed?

 

[mshanson3121]

If anyone has any problem with the way these big companies do business in the care of their animal reevaluate yourself if you had someone come in your house and tell you your not treating your dog, cat or whatever pet you have.

All these companies have vets and employee people who LOVE animals. If these animals weren't on display I would have no chance to see these beautiful creatures in the wild...these people take excellent care of them too.

Again imagine if someone came in your house and told you your apartment is too small or your not feeding your animal the right way that you love and care for everyday...food for thought.

But the fact is, there's a very difference between some random person coming in and just spouting off at the mouth, or a friend criticizing me - and not meeting federally regulated rules and requirements, and an official person recognizing that. Which is what has happened repeatedly to Sea World. AND... yes, if I were chaining my dog in too small of an area, if I were not feeding it properly, or if I were neglecting it - I would face criminal charges.

 

[mshanson3121]

Wow, do any of you know the life of truly wild animals? Dogs and cats where wild at sometime. Do you not eat meat? I have never understood the anti zoo, but birds, rabbits, rats, fish, dogs and cats are ok???

Sea World has done more good in the name of marine life and all it cost was couple of animals. Ever science has its price.

We eat our own families free-range meat only actually, lol.

 

[mshanson3121]

Why do you see a difference between dogs and the other animals you listed?

Because dogs are a domestic animal, they have been for thousands of years. Orcas are not.
And the issue isn't giving a dog a bone to roll over - the issue is - inadequate living conditions, forced breeding in captivity, drugging the whales so they'll perform/be safer etc... Any one that even TRIES to compare a captive orca being confined in an extremely too small tank, being drugged to a pet dog, needs to give their head a shake, or a lesson in logic and reasoning.

 

[lauradis]

Because dogs are a domestic animal, they have been for thousands of years. Orcas are not.
And the issue isn't giving a dog a bone to roll over - the issue is - inadequate living conditions, forced breeding in captivity, drugging the whales so they'll perform/be safer etc... Any one that even TRIES to compare a captive orca being confined in an extremely too small tank, being drugged to a pet dog, needs to give their head a shake, or a lesson in logic and reasoning.

Everything humans have comes from so type of science.

Science has a price.

That price is in the form of animal torture.

Don't have to like it, can try to avoid supporting it.

But it is reality, like it or not.

 

[Jennasis]

I hope Sea World is able to rebound from all of this. There is a lot of good that they do, and the caretakers do care passionately about the animals. I know they're planning a major overhaul to their killer whale habitats.

I also hope this thread manages to beat the odds and sticks around.

 

[mshanson3121]

OP you are going to Discovery Cove right? Well that's SeaWorld and admission to SeaWorld is free with DC ticket so technically they already got your money and you are supporting it that way...technically.

We're actually not now, lol. Now, to be fair, that decision was made BEFORE we knew about the lawsuits, for other reasons. But, I will also say that once I heard about the Sea World stuff, it did make me wonder about Discovery Cove. They're owned by the same parent company - do they treat their animals better?

 

[kamik86]

I have never understood the whole being forced to perform for humans being so bad unless they are torturing the animals to force them. For example my cats are often "forced" to do a trick to get their little kitty treats. If they don't come when I shake the bag and don't want to thats fine we don't hurt them or anything but they don't get the treat. 99% of the time they do the trick though.

Dogs are domesticated animals but at one point they weren't. They became that way because we have confined them for years and years and they now don't know any other way. Some of these animals are the same way. They were born in captivity and would die in the wild.

Someone above mentioned taking the whales babies from them. When I was last at seaworld (in january in San Diego) there was a baby whale. The baby came out with mom and sister in the show. It didn't do any tricks (I doubt it knows any yet) but just swam around in the middle while everyone else did tricks and got thrown a fish every once in a while with the others. So it doesn't seem like it was taken away. Actually it seemed like they even let them stay together even during the little show.

 

[Networth]

Orca are not endangered, not subject to poaching, and they thrive in their pods in the waters they inhabit. Whatever the reality of SeaWorld's rescue program with other sea life, it doesn't involve orca.

Some here have asserted that trained captive animals can't just be released. Yep, that's true. But why has SeaWorld continued to inbreed their captive population in order to expand and continue their exhibitions? Corporate greed?

My friend did you read the first sentence of my post... "I can't speak for SeaWorld"