Proposed ban on Orcas in captivity! This may soon be illegal in California!

[Tobi]

What a great idea!

Californian State Assembly member Richard Bloom, D–Santa Monica, will introduce Friday the Orca Welfare and Safety Act, which would make it illegal to “hold in captivity, or use, a wild-caught or captive-bred Orca for performance or entertainment purposes.” The bill would also ban artificial insemination of captive killer whales in California and block the import of Orcas or Orca semen from other states. (Quoted from the article at http://www.takepart.com)

http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/03/...acaptivity

Sign, and leave a personal message for Mr. Richard Bloom. My own thoughts are I am glad he is trying to bring this about, and with support, great changes can be made, hopefully, not just in California -but worldwide.

[Knight of Albion]

The whole grisly business is nothing short of monstrous.

Keeping ocean-travelling creatures in a tiny enclosure ... Humiliating them for public amusement ...

Something our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be scratching their heads about, wondering how such a thing ever came to be in a civilized world.
Mind you, I am wondering the same thing myself.

[Catherine]

This is great. If a law could be passed in California, it could spread to other states and to other countries. It just needs a starting point.

I wish it could be faster and some of the whales in captivity may not live to see it, but change will come.

I am with you Knight of Albion, I want to stand there and shake my head and wonder how we ever let something like this happen.....in the past. Someday the world will be a kinder place. The fact that we even want it to be better is a sign of hope.

[Cibach]

Let's hope that this goes through as swiftly as possible and that the example is followed by all.

[LPC]

I just spent a while on the net to find the outcome of the vote, but couldn't find anything. Does anyone know?

[Knight of Albion]

The Bill is still going through the motions.

The campaign appears to be gathering pace.

An interresting article on Billboard...
http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/ne...-will-more

NB: The SeaWorld turnover ... Explains a lot.

[Catherine]

It looks like it is just a matter of time. As public opinion becomes stronger against SeaWorld and captive orcas the shows will no longer be a money maker.
If Sea World wants to survive this it needs to make the change voluntarily and change the whole nature of their shows.

[LPC]

Update: the bill has been put on hold until 2015 - see http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/ap...ales-shows

[Catherine]

Quote:Update: the bill has been put on hold until 2015 -

That is frustrating. I know legislation is a slow business, but this seems more than slow.

Of course if Sea World were smart and responsible they would use the delay to phase out their Orca/dolphin shows and find placements for their animals. I doubt they will do it. If they were smart and responsible they would have stopped Orca shows years ago.