There is a lawsuit being filed asking a federal court to declare that five wild-caught orcas forced to perform at Sea World are being held as slaves in violation of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This filing is the first ever seeking to apply the 13th Amendment to nonhuman animals.. it names the five orcas as plaintiffs and also seeks their release to their natural habitats or seaside sanctuaries.
The suit is based on he text, which prohibits the condition of slavery without reference to "person" or any particular class of victim. Jeff Kerr says "Slavery is slavery, and it does not depend on the species of the slave any more than it depends on gender, race, or religion."
The five wild-caught orca plaintiffs are Tilikum and Katina (both confined at Sea World Orlando) and Kasatka, Corky, and Ulises (all three confined at Sea World San Diego). By definition all five orcas are defined as slaves. Ingrid E. Newkirk says "All five of these orcas were violently seized from the ocean and taken from their families as babies. They are denied freedom and everything that is natural and important to them while kept in small concrete tanks, and reduced to performing stupid tricks.
Orcas are very smart animals who in the wild work cooperatively, form complex relationships, communicate using distinct dialects, and swim up to 100 miles every day. At Sea World, they are forced to swim in circles in small, barren concrete tanks. Deprived of the opportunity to make conscious choices and to practice their cultural vocal, social, and foraging traditions, they are compelled to perform meaningless tricks for a reward of dead fish.
Animals are no longer regarded as "things" to dominate, but as breathing, feeling beings with emotions, dialects, intelligence, and families. Just as week look back with shame at a time when we enslaved other humans and viewed some people as property less deserving of consideration and protection, we will look back on our treatment of these animals with shame. Our understanding of animals grow each and every day.
The orcas are represented in the suit by what the law refers to as their "next friends": Ric O'Barry (a former orca and dolphin trainer and the star of the Academy Award-winning documentary The Cove), renowned orca expert Dr. Ingrid N. Visser, Orca Network founder Howard Garrett, and former Sea World trainers Samantha Berg and Carol Ray.
Please write to the Blackstone Group - the company that owns Sea World - and ask that it immediately set in place a firm and rapid plan to release the animals to sanctuaries that can provide them with an appropriate and more natural environment.
The suit is based on he text, which prohibits the condition of slavery without reference to "person" or any particular class of victim. Jeff Kerr says "Slavery is slavery, and it does not depend on the species of the slave any more than it depends on gender, race, or religion."
The five wild-caught orca plaintiffs are Tilikum and Katina (both confined at Sea World Orlando) and Kasatka, Corky, and Ulises (all three confined at Sea World San Diego). By definition all five orcas are defined as slaves. Ingrid E. Newkirk says "All five of these orcas were violently seized from the ocean and taken from their families as babies. They are denied freedom and everything that is natural and important to them while kept in small concrete tanks, and reduced to performing stupid tricks.
Orcas are very smart animals who in the wild work cooperatively, form complex relationships, communicate using distinct dialects, and swim up to 100 miles every day. At Sea World, they are forced to swim in circles in small, barren concrete tanks. Deprived of the opportunity to make conscious choices and to practice their cultural vocal, social, and foraging traditions, they are compelled to perform meaningless tricks for a reward of dead fish.
Animals are no longer regarded as "things" to dominate, but as breathing, feeling beings with emotions, dialects, intelligence, and families. Just as week look back with shame at a time when we enslaved other humans and viewed some people as property less deserving of consideration and protection, we will look back on our treatment of these animals with shame. Our understanding of animals grow each and every day.
The orcas are represented in the suit by what the law refers to as their "next friends": Ric O'Barry (a former orca and dolphin trainer and the star of the Academy Award-winning documentary The Cove), renowned orca expert Dr. Ingrid N. Visser, Orca Network founder Howard Garrett, and former Sea World trainers Samantha Berg and Carol Ray.
Please write to the Blackstone Group - the company that owns Sea World - and ask that it immediately set in place a firm and rapid plan to release the animals to sanctuaries that can provide them with an appropriate and more natural environment.
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