During 2001, several international animal welfare organizations worked together to prevent the Granby Zoo of Canada from establishing a combined captive dolphin show and dolphin-assisted-therapy program. We can now claim victory: The proposed dolphinarium is cancelled!
Montreal's Global Action Network -- assisted by a number of national and international animal welfare organizations including the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), Zoocheck Canada, Animal Alliance of Canada, No Whales in Captivity, the Dolphin Project and others -- has been working to stop the Granby Zoo, near Montreal, from establishing a $12 (Cdn) million dolphinarium. The Zoo had proposed a combined swim-with-the-dolphin facility and dolphin-assisted therapy program. Up to six bottlenose dolphins were to be used in the programs. The Zoo has refused to reveal potential sources for the dolphins.
No new captive dolphin facility has been established in Canada since 1985 when four wild-caught dolphins were sent from Florida, USA, to West Edmonton Mall, Canada. Today, only two dolphins remain alive at the Mall.
During 2001, animal welfare organizations held a number of press conferences and meetings with the Zoo, politicians, and government bureaucrats.
December 7, 2001 the Toronto Star announces that the Granby Zoo has cancelled the proposed captive dolphin facility.We would like to thank our Dolphin Project network for the many letters that you sent to oppose the proposed dolphinarium. Without your help, the dolphinarium would not have been stopped. A special thanks to Gwen McKenna.
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