On a recent trip to the carribean, I was reminded of how many animal-related attractions there are for travellers wherever you go. The minute we located the bus that was to take us to our hotel, every passenger was handed a bunch of brochures outlining all the fun activities to do while visiting the island. As I flipped through the various pieces I saw things like shopping tours, island tours, cultural tours, and then, Dolphin Cove. Visitors can pet, play and swim with dolphins...sounds fun, right?! There were actually a few in our group interested in this particular day-trip too because really, who can resist dolphins?
Not having done any research on Dolphin Cove itself, I cannot say what kind of place it is, and I can't paint every place that has captive animals with the same brush because some are quite good. There are those that house non-releasable wildlife (usually because of an injury they've suffered) who have become ambassadors for their species and the facility educates visitors about the animal's plight in the wild and what they can do to help. But the majority of the places you can visit while on holiday, including some zoos, are not at all reputable.
One of the people travelling with us mentioned how disappointing it was that our resort's beach didn't have any vendors with animals that will pose for pictures with you like they do in Mexico because that's really fun for the kids. I just about fell off my chair when I heard this because I was shocked that ANYONE would want to pose with some poor animal on a beach (either carted around in a cage or on a leash) given that I know how they are aquired and what usually becomes of them in the end. But this was the lesson for me: not everyone is aware of how these animals get to that beach in Mexico – or wherever you happen to be vacationing – or of how they are treated in order to get their cooperation to pose for a photo, or do a trick, whatever it is the vendor is selling.
The reality for most of these 'attractions' is that they have acquired these animals either from non-reputable places, through illegal means or even snatched from the wild. The animals are subjected to less then adequate treatment at best; at worst, they are treated horribly and are discarded when no longer performing, making money or behaving. And 'discarded' most often means killed because it's the easiest and cheapest way of no longer having to deal with them.
I remember visiting Chimpanzee Eden in South Africa (http://www.chimpeden.com/) – a sanctuary for chimps rescued from horrid situations – and learning about the individuals and how they came to be there. One story that really stuck with me was that of Cozy, a chimp born in America and sold to an entertainer in Italy. Living the life of a Gypsy, his owner traveled constantly and Cozy was made to strike certain poses so that tourists could have their picture taken with him. If he did not cooperate, he was hit in the back of the head, which of course, caused some mental damage.
After his owner died, he lived in the dark and was confined to a 1.5m by 1.5m cage for such a long time (about 10 years) that most of his muscle mass had disappeared and he could hardly walk. Thankfully, he ended up at Chimp Eden and after months of rehabilitation work, he can now walk, climb trees and lives with a chimp family. For Cozy, the story ended happily, but this is not the case for SO MANY animals used at attractions or for entertainment.
It's not that I don't understand the desire to interact with an amazing animal, truely I do. But not under those horrible circumstances and not at the high cost they usually pay. My best advice is to do your research before going on vacation and find out as much as you can about animal-related attractions. Their websites will give you information but I would encourage you to dig deeper. Ask people you know if they've heard of the place you're interested in, email an animal welfare organisation for information, do the due diligence before you blindly support a place that makes animals 'perform for visitors'. And if you see someone with an animal on a leash (or in some kind of constraint) offering the chance of a picture, please, PLEASE walk away and don't support that. Above all, tell your friends and family about these issues and hopefully we can help put an end to this kind of suffering.
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