Protest at Marineland, Niagara Falls Gains Momentum

On Saturday August 18th- hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the main entrance gates of Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario. At stake was the ethical treatment of animals used for performances and entertainment. Over the past three years there have been increased reports by the media regarding the attacking of trainers by killer whales and other performing animals.

Messages on protest signs were simple, bold and clear. photos:The Silo/Mith Media

Many researchers believe that this sort of behavior is inevitable because killer whales are adversely affected by forcible confinement and pavlovian conditioning and that in turn has many questioning whether theme parks such as Marineland and Seaworld are capitalizing on animal cruelty. It’s not a new topic- zoo’s and circuses are not strangers to demonstration and protest and the relationship between humans and animals is a theme often employed by conscientious artists.

[Warning- the following video contains disturbing images. Viewer discretion is advised CP]

Segment from Umwelt (2010) exhibition catalogue- Jarrod Barker’s installation at the Norfolk Arts Centre explored the connectedness or non-connectedness (ie: the umwelt) of humans and animals. image:courtesy of the artist

Marineland denied our request (along with the Toronto Star’s request) for an interview and requested that the media respect “private [their] property”. That sort of reaction makes it difficult to investigate a story of this magnitude- and many questions remain unanswered. For example, earlier this year an infant beluga whale was attacked repeatedly by two adult belugas until it was killed. Media leaks reveal that the baby whale may have been ill and that the other animals acted out of fear since they may have detected signs of a contagious disease.

image: The Silo

Although no date has been set, The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is planning on bringing independent Sea Mammal experts and Marine Biologists into Marineland for an inspection according to an online report at www.thestar.com CP

image: The Silo

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Comments

2 responses to “Protest at Marineland, Niagara Falls Gains Momentum”

  1. Scottie Kennaugh Avatar
    Scottie Kennaugh

    Everyone loves it when individuals come together for animal rights and share ideas. Great blog, stick with it!

  2. Lyndsay Miller Avatar
    Lyndsay Miller

    UPDATE- May 2015 New Legislation Passes to End Acquisition and Breeding of Killer Whales in Ontario

    Ontario Increasing Oversight and Protection for Marine Mammals

    May 28, 2015

    Today the province passed the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which will prohibit the acquisition and breeding of orcas (killer whales) in Ontario effective immediately.

    To ensure the province continues to have the strongest animal protection legislation in Canada, the bill contains a number of other measures to improve the oversight and well-being of all marine mammals in Ontario. This includes:

    Rules that allow the government to require animal welfare committees at any facility that houses marine mammals
    Rules that allow the government to require facilities that house marine mammals to have qualified veterinarians with expertise in marine mammal medicine to oversee preventive and clinical care
    Penalties of up to $60,000 and/or two years in prison on first conviction for breaches of the Act

    The province is also working on setting specific standards of care for marine mammals which will reflect advice from an expert report by Dr. David Rosen, a University of British Columbia marine biologist, and recommendations from a technical advisory group. When introduced, Ontario will be the first jurisdiction in Canada to set specific standards of care for marine mammals.

    The amendments complete a three-point plan initiated in October 2012 to strengthen protection for all animals.

    “Our government is committed to making sure marine mammals, and all animals in Ontario, are protected and receive the best possible treatment and care. Prohibiting the acquisition and breeding of orcas as we move forward on enhancing our standards of care to be among the best in the world is something Ontarians expect and these animals deserve. These amendments build on our government’s ongoing efforts to have the strongest animal protection laws in Canada.”

    — Yasir Naqvi, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services

    QUICK FACTS

    § Ontario provides the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) with $5.5 million annually to strengthen the protection of animals.

    LEARN MORE visit http://www.ontariospca.ca OSPCA

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