2016-Sept-04: Pacific whtie-sided dolphin catches a fish at Vancouver Aquarium located at Stanley Park Vancouver British Columbia Canada / Shutterstock
The Vancouver Park Board has won the right to overturn a supreme court decision that struck down its bylaw banning the importation and keeping of cetaceans at the Vancouver Aquarium.
The decision came after a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled in favour of the aquarium last week, stating that the bylaw conflicted with the licence agreement with Ocean Wise Conservation Association, which operates the aquarium.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, responded to the decision remarking that animals, "animals are not ours to use for entertainment."
The animal rights group believe that aquariums and marine-mammal theme parks profit of the suffering of intelligent, social beings. Specifically, the group highlights that cetaceans are meant to traverse vast distances in the ocean every day. Keeping them in small enclosures, however, does not permit them to engage in natural behaviour. They also highlight that many cetaceans have significantly shorter lifespans in captivity.
"Just over two years after the premature deaths of the last two beluga whales at the Vancouver Aquarium, the British Columbia Court of Appeal has moved the city one step closer to a day when no cetacean endures the misery of being confined to a tiny tank," said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman.
"PETA looks forward to seeing all of Canada follow suit, as Parliament is considering a bill that would prohibit dolphin and whale captivity across the country."
In January 2018, the aquarium announced its decision to stop displaying cetaceans. Helen, a Pacific white-sided dolphin, is the only cetacean left living at the aquarium.
With files from the Vancouver Courier.
