1. About Me
My name is Angela Rodney and I am a 4th year Animal Biology student at UBC.
Me and Daisy the Harbour Porpoise
I created this blog as a presentation for my ApBi 315 Animal Welfare class term paper on the Welfare of Dolphins in Captivity. This subject interested me because I find dolphins fascinating, and my volunteer work at the Vancouver Aquarium has sparked my interest in captive animal welfare. I’ve spent a lot of time watching the dolphins at the Vancouver Aquarium and every time I see them I am amazed at how wonderful these beautiful beings are. My aim with this site is to provide an overview of the issues raised when talking about dolphins in captivity. This topic has wide ranging implications, and my focus is primarily on the welfare and ethical issues raised with captive cetaceans in Canada and the US. The care for a dolphin at SeaWorld is very different from the care at a ‘roadside zoo’ in a developing country, and this site will be dealing primarily with animals that are in well known, well maintained facilities. A disclaimer is that due to my involvement with the Vancouver Aquarium, my perspective on their operations is slightly more skewed to the positive than the views expressed on sites that are very critical of dolphins in captivity. My personal belief is that well maintained, well designed facilities with caring and well trained staff can provide a good home for captive dolphins, especially those that have suffered injuries and would otherwise have had to have been put down. The inspiring messages that the public learns by seeing these creatures up close, and the knowledge gained by studies on captive dolphins are benefits that can’t be fully realized without dolphins being in captivity.