Miami Seaquarium is on the chopping block after Miami-Dade County laid down the law and issued a lease termination notice to the marine park's operator. High and mighty no more, The Dolphin Company, which runs the beleaguered attraction, is being kicked to the curb for a plethora of violations that have officials and activists alike up in arms. The county gave the park until April 21 to pack it in and ship out.
Thursday's stern message from Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's office to Eduardo Albor, CEO of The Dolphin Company, slams the Seaquarium for its "long and troubling history of violations" which include but are not limited to, the mistreatment of animals and crumbling infrastructure. Some of the findings reported by Local 10 News and NBC Miami included dolphins playing with dangerous debris, a sealion in dire need of cataract surgery, and various enclosures in sorry states of neglect.
The letter from the county pulls no punches, calling out the Seaquarium's failure to meet federal laws and regulations for animal care. Findings by the United States Department of Agriculture inspectors didn't do the park any favors, revealing structural deficiencies that "posed serious risks to the animals." In echoes of a battle cry, the Miami Seaquarium has been ordered to "surrender and deliver possession of the Property back to the Lessor," as stated in the termination notice.
Miami-Dade County officials, including Levine Cava, are set to explain the drastic move in a news conference. While the Seaquarium has countered claims of impropriety, stating its animal care staff is working with the USDA to correct issues, and insisting they are "in compliance with federal Animal Welfare Act regulations." Critics and supporters alike are waiting with bated breath for the final curtain call on the Seaquarium's saga, a twisted tale of alleged animal neglect and contested compliance.
As details unfold, protestors from PETA, and animal rights advocates across the spectrum are likely feeling vindicated. The Seaquarium, on the other hand, is left scrambling to defend its reputation amidst the fallout of this high-stakes conservation controversy. Whether or not the marine park can stay afloat in the court of public opinion is yet to be determined, but Miami Seaquarium's days of leasing county property are numbered—or so the notice states.
