One of the main concerns about the keeping of cetaceans in captivity, is the poor conditions they care kept in, which result in compromised lives for these animals. A compromised life means poor welfare. It is as simple as that.
Captive cetaceans suffer in a great many ways, some of which are obvious (such as damaged teeth, or stereotypies – abnormal repetitive behaviours) and some of which are less visible to the untrained observer, but still a major concern (such as increased stress or abnormal social structures).
Captive cetaceans are typically involved in at least one of the many money-making schemes the industry has, such as entertainment ‘shows’, ‘trainer-for-a-day’ or ‘swim-with’ programs, ‘dolphin-assisted therapy’ (DAT), as well as the option to ‘have your photo taken with a dolphin’ type of business.
WILD VS CAPTIVE DOLPHIN COMPARISON
The underlying message here is that wild dolphins have the freedom to chose in comparison to captive dolphins who are restricted in every area mentioned above. DFE believes that dolphins are entitled to make their own choices and live their natural and authentic life.
5 FREEDOMS & DOMAINS
All animals deserve to have welfare standards that meet their needs & protect them from harm. One very simple set of animal welfare standards is often termed the ‘Five Freedoms’. Those freedoms are:
- Freedom from hunger and thirst
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury and disease
- Freedom to express normal behaviour
- Freedom from fear and distress