WDC is pleased to report that, as a result of local opposition and international pressure – including from WDC supporters, initial plans to hold a dolphin circus in Prague this spring have been halted by the Council of Prague in the Czech Republic.
WDC was very concerned to learn of the proposal and is still urging that any similar proposals from show organisers be dismissed too. Shows like these provide seriously inadequate conditions for the animals due to their travelling nature, thus threatening their health and welfare.
The Czech Republic is currently a dolphin friendly country with no dolphins in captivity. We congratulate the Prague authorities for their help in keeping it that way.
In captivity, dolphins suffer a range of health and welfare problems including reduced life expectancy.
WDC is calling for an end to dolphin captivity in the EU, following the publication of our report on EU dolphinaria in 2011, which demonstrated that these facilities cannot meet the biological requirements of dolphins in captivity and that they do not survive well in captivity. As a result, dolphinaria, and the EU Member States who licence them, are failing to meet EU zoo law.
