A new Senate Bill was introduced by Senator Wilfred Moore to end the keeping, breeding, live capture, and import/export of cetaceans in Canada. The Bill is called the ‘Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act’ and expands on a recent Ontario law that phases out the captivity of orcas. Currently, a license is required from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to capture a wild cetacean. This Bill will prohibit live captures unless the animal is injured and requires assistance.
A press conference was held with Senator Elizabeth May and Phil Demers (former head trainer at MarineLand). May said, "The science is clear that cetaceans are deeply sensitive, social animals and that maintaining them in captivity can never replicate nature." Moore believes that keeping cetaceans for entertainment is unjustifiably cruel. Moore said, "In the wild, many whales and dolphins live in large family groups or pods which can grow to over 100 members each. The act of removing a family member and placing the whale or dolphin in a pool in a marine park is bad enough, but the process itself is disturbing and can lead to the death of the animal."
The Bill is supported by the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Zoocheck Canada, the Jane Goodall Institute, and Gabriela Cowperthwaite (director of Blackfish).
No comments:
Post a Comment