Look who’s reading PetLife!
November 10, 2001 | 12:00am
First, the bad stuff– Kap, will you stop sending me e-mail about bonsai cats (There’s a man in New York who supposedly bottles kittens, debones them and they take the shape of the bottles, and they’re kept alive!). This is another urban myth. In other words, it’s a hoax, meant to upset cat-lovers like me.
The same goes for you, Eric. Will you stop sending me pictures of skinned cats?
Gross.
Now, the good stuff –
To Jersey Michelle: Thanks for sending me those cute puppy dog pictures and the inspiring messages on friendship.
So, Lindsay, we suggest you get your own guinea kid. Check out the classifieds under pets. Check out the pet shops in the malls. Or get a cat.
"Thanks for your new PetLife section! It’s really something to look forward to every Saturday morning. Have been waiting for something like this to come along (even requested another paper to write more pet articles) and hope it stays for a very long time. And maybe gets thicker. He-he."
This column will publish letters from dogs, turtles, even hedgehogs, which we hear are the latest craze in pet shops.
According to the groups, SBME violated the Philippine Animal Welfare Act (RA 8485) by operating their facility without first registering with the Bureau of Animal Industries (BAI).
"We are appalled that they openly advertise their show although it is illegal. So the general public will no longer be deceived, we felt it was time to take action," said Nita Hontiveros-Lichauco, president of PAWS.
Dolphins are wild animals that live in the sea. Often mistaken for fish, dolphins are actually marine mammals. Similar to humans, they give birth to live young and breathe air. Because they suffer greatly in captivity, it is almost impossible to maintain a family of dolphins in tanks or similar confinements.
The capture of wild dolphins is condemned by environmentalists for its inhumanity and violence. In order to catch wild dolphins, hunters must chase a group of dolphins to the shore. Here, they use motorboats, and other scare tactics to herd the animals. Once in shallow waters, nets are thrown over the dolphins and those chosen for captivity are literally wrestled into submission. Dolphins not chosen, if alive, are subsequently released without any follow-up if they survived the trauma.
"Our case is not only about registering with the Animal Welfare Division. It is about educating the public that these kinds of shows actually promote animal cruelty. Very few people know that the animals in Ocean Adventures come from the Japanese drive fisheries.
"This is an internationally condemned practice where dolphins and whales are indiscriminately butchered for food while those young enough to be trained are sold to the dolphin show industry. The dolphins being used in SBME were captured by such a method," added Trixie Concepcion of Earth Island Institute.
The animal welfare groups also want to warn the public about a possible health hazard in the theme park’s Swim with the Whales program. Last July 30, a false killer whale died in the facility and activists believe that the whale died of a contagious disease that may be transmitted to humans who came in direct contact with the whales.
Animal welfare advocates believe that these issues could have been prevented had SBME applied for registration with the BAI.
For more information and if you want to help save the dolphins, call Trixie Concepcion at 435-30-98.
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