Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
The Chastened
Dolphin-swim episode slammed by charities
CAMPAIGNERS have hit out at ITV for filming stars of The Chase swimming with captive dolphins.
Anne Hegerty, Shaun Wallace and Mark Labbett were shown visiting the Dolphin Research Center in Florida, US, as part of their The Chasers Road Trip: Trains, Brains and Automobiles.
There was a backlash after they were filmed getting in the water to swim with the animals last Thursday.
The RSPCA said: “We were disappointed to see animals being used in this way. Swimming with dolphins may seem appealing to holidaymakers but they often have restricted space and they can find swimming with people all day very stressful. Keeping dolphins and whales captive deprives them of some of the most basic freedoms and causes them unacceptable levels of stress and suffering.
“Captivity cannot provide for their needs and they can live shortened lives.”
Claire Bass, of Humane Society International/uk, added: “It’s extremely disappointing to see inhumane treatment of these highly intelligent animals promoted or normalised on TV.” And
Audrey Gaffney, of The Ethical Bucket List, said: “These animals are being kept in captivity and are clearly used for entertainment purposes. We ask people to consider the nature of animal tourism and this relates to the level of contact and the nature of the animals’ behaviour.
“These animals were being directed by their keeper to perform.”
ITV defended the show, saying: “There is no endorsement of mistreatment of animals in this programme. As the show makes clear to viewers, it sets out to challenge and enlighten our understanding of animal intelligence and does so in a way that prompts the Chasers to reflect on the ways animals are treated by humans within our cultures and ask whether this should change.
“The Dolphin Research Center is a member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. Alliance-accredited institutions are the gold standard in marine mammal care at which animal experts dedicate their lives to the well-being of the animals in their care and to the rescue and rehabilitation of marine animals in need of help.”
It added: “Louie, one of the dolphins who appeared in the programme, was rescued at a young age after being impacted by an oil spill while in the wild and has since had to remain at the facility, having been too young to develop hunting and social skills to survive in the wild.”