Ric O’Barry, the dolphin trainer who was responsible for training the animals that played ‘Flipper’, is in Ireland for the showing of ‘The Cove’ at the Galway Arts Festival.

Ric feels responsible for the industry that has grown around the captivity industry and the ‘swim with dolphin’ programmes which have caused untold  suffering to dolphins., and has spent the latter years of his life fighting this industry. Because of the huge sums of money involved in the industry the annual dolphin slaughter in Taiji in Japan is used by the captivity  industry as a source of animals for their cruel trade.

Dolphins have unfortunately got a permanent smile making them look happy and accessible even when suffering greatly.

Ric travelled to Japan to witness the slaughter every year and  has risked his life to get footage of this horrific crime against one of the most loved animals in the world. The Cove is the story of his fight for dolphins.

The Irish Seal Sanctuary has worked closely with Ric on his mission. We have met with the Japanese embassy and protested about this slaughter in an effort to raise awareness and stop the barbaric practice.

Irish people can help in the campaign by not supporting Dolphinariums or any ‘swim with dolphin’ facilities. If the dolphin is not free to choose who he swims with, then keep away!

Ireland is a whale and dolphin sanctuary and it is a Dolphinarium free country, something we can be proud of.

Pauline Beades
Irish Seal Sanctuary
0863576220

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