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Emails Needed To Strengthen Vancouver Cetacean Bylaw!
posted on January 20, 2017
 Open Letter
Dear Commissioners:
Re: Please Strengthen the Cetacean Bylaw!
Lifeforce urges the Vancouver Park Board to discuss plans that will definitely lead to the end of cetacean captivity. A referendum may not be good news!
It is time that the Board uses your jurisdiction to restrict animals in any city park by strengthening the Cetacean Bylaw. In 1996 all parties did agree on the phase out goal in 1996 but the Vancouver Aquarium got it watered it down over the years.
Would the Vancouver Aquarium actually agree to an unconditional moratorium on bringing in cetaceans until any referendum results? Will that include a moratorium on the planned expansion of new whale pools in 2017?
It is more likely that any “moratorium” would include using the pools for their ongoing collection of “rescues” that will suffer from imprisonment and unnecessary experiments. Of course some will be deemed not suitable for release by the Vancouver Aquarium veterinarian (who advises DFO) while they release some as a public relations ploy for public support for any future referendum.
The Board must also insist on a new building permit application because the present one is 10 years old and expansion plans have changed? What are the new plans?
Will the Board guarantee:
- That all rescue, rehab, and release for cetaceans be done at the center at the foot of Main Street or at the station on Popham Island where they wanted to hold the young orca Springer in a sea pen. They finally completed a proper, sterile facility.
- No “rescued” cetacean would be held at the aquarium. It would be too much of a health risk to use the existing aquarium pools because of the unclear deaths of the two belugas. Toxins can be caused by the captivity issues. There would not be “hospital peace and quiet” in a crowded public area. One way windows and sound barriers would have to be created. The off site, non public building should be used.
Needless to say that after 52 years later with at least 52 deaths it is time to stop cetacean captivity. We saw the public disapproval of a new zoo expansion after seeing the neurotic, stereotypical behaviours of animals. They saw the polar bears pacing back and forth and back and forth with bleeding paws and now they are learning about the dolphins swimming around and around and around in the tiny, barren tanks. Let’s help them and phase out captivity with a better Cetacean Bylaw!
For Freedom,
Peter Hamilton
Lifeforce
The Meeting is January 23rd. Please email the Commissioners by Monday Noon: john.coupar@vancouver.ca; casey.crawford@vancouver.ca; sarah.kirby-yung@vancouver.ca; erin.shum@vancouver.ca; catherine.evans@vancouver.ca; stuart.mackinnon@vancouver.ca; michael.wiebe@vancouver.ca;
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