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What fascinating animals dolphins are. It’s no wonder so many people go to places like Sea World and other aquariums to see them up close. For many, it probably seems like a nice way to spend the day while keeping the kids and family entertained. It may all seem so innocent and harmless. Of course, it’s anything but. Like any animal use, it’s abuse. Whenever we exploit animals – whether for their skins, their fur, their wool, their milk, their flesh/meat, their swim bladders (used in the making of some wines apparently), or for our entertainment – it is all inherently unjust and inevitably leads to severe harm and suffering for the animals. We cannot enumerate all the terrible ways this plays out for the dolphins and other marine animals used in aquariums (for that, we encourage you to watch documentaries, like The Cove, which is available on Netflix and elsewhere). Let’s take seriously what we morally owe other sentient animals and recognize the very real and serious consequences our activities and consumption habits have on them. If you don’t want to inflict unnecessary harm, suffering and death on vulnerable animals, then please don’t use them for your food or clothing. And please also find other ways to connect with nature and entertain yourself that doesn’t involve the enslavement and exploitation of animals. Please remember that other animals are not here to entertain us. That is not their purpose. They are here WITH us, not FOR us. We can take a stand and honor that principle by living vegan. Quite literally, it’s the very least we can do if we think that other animals matter at all. |