Petition Closed

The Araneta Center in Cubao celebrated the holidays by displaying captive dolphins in a small heavily-chlorinated pool in a parking area near the venue. The traveling dolphin show's organizers, Indofil Sea Wonders Co Ltd, are allegedly keeping the dolphins hungry before the show so that they may perform better. Environmental organizations and conservationists including the Earth Island Institute, Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, Dolphins Love Freedom Network, Philippine Animal Welfare Society, and Bangon Kalikasan Movement have protested against this show. Despite protests, the government decided to issue permits earlier in December. Activists held a demonstration on the opening day calling for the closure of the dolphin show.

Please ask the government to permanently ban dolphin shows in the Philippines. Also, please take a minute to contact Araneta Center asking them to stop sponsoring traveling dolphin shows in the future:

[Disclaimer: the rights to the petition picture belong to Helene O' Barry]

Letter to
Secretary, Department of Agriculture Hon. Proceso Alcala
Undersecretary, Department of Agriculture Antonio A. Fleta
Fisheries/ Agribusiness and Marketing and DA Spokesperson Salvador S. Salacup
I was horrified to learn that two dolphins were held captive and exploited in Araneta Center, Quezon City, as part of a traveling dolphin show organized by the Indofil Sea Wonders Co Ltd.

Dolphin shows are the most cruel animal shows in the world. These intelligent marine mammals are subjected to a life of confinement in shallow tanks heavily treated with chlorine. The over chlorination causes a general decline in health, skin disorders, and even renders them blind over time. The dolphins urinate and defecate in the same pool where they perform, which, combined with improper water treatment methods, causes infections. In such small tanks, their restricted movement and isolation causes stress that only adds to their health deterioration. Dolphins also suffer during transport. The repeated transport is particularly stressful as these animals have to be immobilized for the entire duration of the travel. Countless incidents of dolphins dying during transport have been reported. It has been scientifically proven that captive sea creatures performing shows typically live less than half of their life expectancy. In addition, these shows send out a message that it is acceptable to imprison sentient beings in such unnatural environments and exploit animals for our amusement.

The trauma that these animals are subjected to has been acknowledged by several countries around the world, to the extent that such dolphin shows have been banned. These shows are in violation of the Animal Welfare Act and the Basic Freedom of Animals, namely freedom from physical discomfort and pain, freedom from injury and disease, freedom to conform to essential behavior pattern, and freedom from fear and distress. These shows also disregard the facility specifications prescribed in the rules and regulations for animal shows, including sufficiency of space and size to meet the needs of free movement and exercise of the animals.

I request that you enact laws against traveling dolphin shows and laws prohibiting the keeping of dolphins in captivity.

Thank you for your time.