Animals Asia has been joined by 199 animal charities as a petition is launched against plans to build a dolphinarium in Danang, Vietnam.

Animal lovers across the world have been asked to add their name to the petition to show Danang city leaders that – despite what they may be told by investors – the world does not want more animal cruelty packaged as entertainment.

This coalition of campaigners believe that not only are dolphinariums cruel, they represent a misstep by Danang city leaders who, to date, have received praise for developing with environmental concerns in mind.

In the statement opposing the marine park, Animals Asia’s Animal Welfare Director Dave Neale said:

“There’s an ever-increasing body of research that shows capturing dolphins from the wild is cruel and causes a significant amount of suffering. Keeping dolphins and other cetaceans in captivity is harmful to them and increasingly it’s something that people don’t want to be a part of. 

“It would be foolish to overlook the potential long-term economic effects of accepting the plans for a dolphin park. It could easily jeopardise future investment in Danang by investors who might see this as tarnishing Danang’s reputation as a progressive city. In addition – in one stroke – any hopes for developing eco-tourism would be gone.”

With the movie Blackfish having raised awareness in the west of the cruelty involved, exploiters of marine animals are already targeting new markets. Animals Asia believes Vietnam would be well-served not to invest in an industry that is both declining and discredited.

Since plans by a Russian company to build a dolphinarium in the central Vietnamese city of Danang were announced, Animals Asia – working with the Asia for Animals Coalition – has been putting pressure on city officials. You can read the letter sent to city leaders here.

The campaign is already prompting debate with Vietnamese newspapers having picked up on the campaign.

The 16 members of Asia for Animals Coalition are as follows:

1. Animal Guardians
2. Animal People
3. Animals Asia Foundation
4. ACRES
5. Blue Cross of India
6. Change for Animals Foundation
7. Earth Island Institute
8. Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations
9. Humane Society International
10. International Animal Rescue
11. International Fund for Animal Welfare
12. Philippine Animal Welfare Society
13. Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (UK)
14. Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
15. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Hong Kong
16. World Animal Protection

Also supporting the campaign are the following:

1. AAP Rescue Centre for Exotic Animals, NETHERLANDS
2. Action for Animals, KOREA
3. All Life In A Viable Environment, JAPAN
4. Andhra Pradesh Goshala Federation, INDIA
5. Anima, MACAU
6. Animal Conservation & Welfare Foundation, POLAND
7. Animal Friends, CROATIA
8. Animal Friends Niigata, JAPAN
9. Animal Nepal
10. Animal Projects & Environmental Education, MALAYSIA
11. Animal Protection Network, SWEDEN
12. Animal Rights Action Network, IRELAND
13. Animal Rights Alliance, SWEDEN
14. Animal Rights Centre, JAPAN
15. Animal Rights Hawaii, USA
16. Animal Sanctuary Trust, INDONESIA
17. Animal Welfare Institute, USA
18. Animal Welfare Network Nepal
19. Animals Australia
20. ARK Animal Refuge Kansai, JAPAN
21. Australia for Dolphins
22. Australians for Animals
23. Bali Animal Welfare Association, INDONESIA
24. Bali Sea Turtle Society (BSTS), INDONESIA
25. Behavioral & Environmental Solutions, USA
26. Beijing Pet Adoption Day, CHINA
27. Beijing Sunflower Friends of Animal Team, CHINA
28. Beauty without Cruelty, INDIA
29. Bharatiya Prani Mitra Sangh, Hyderabad, INDIA
30. Big Heart Foundation, RUSSIA
31. Blue Cross Youth Seva Sangham - Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
32. Born Free Foundation, UK
33. British Hen Welfare Trust, UK
34. Captive Animal Protection Society, UK
35. Cat Welfare Society, SINGAPORE
36. CATCHA Environmental & Wildlife Society, CANADA
37. Causes for Animals Ltd, SINGAPORE
38. Cee4life, AUSTRALIA
39. Centre for Orangutan Protection, INDONESIA
40. Cetacean Society International
41. Changchun 3.10 Shanxiao Fund, CHINA
42. Changsha Small Animal Protection Association, CHINA      
43. Chengde Cat Forest, CHINA
44. Chengdu Home of Love Small Animal Rescue, CHINA
45. China Farm Animal Protection Coalition, CHINA
46. China Journalists Salon for Animal Protection, CHINA
47. China Youth Animal Protection Alliance, CHINA
48. China Zoo Watch, CHINA
49. Compassion Unlimited Plus Action, Bangalore, INDIA
50. CPR Environmental Education Centre, INDIA
51. Dalian VSHINE Protection of Animals SPCA, CHINA
52. Darjeeling Animal Shelter, INDIA
53. David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, UK
54. Djurskyddet Sverige (Animal Welfare Sweden), SWEDEN
55. Dobro Surtse, BULGARIA
56. DOGSTOP, HONG KONG
57. Dolphin Project, USA
58. Dzivnieku Draugs, LATVIA
59. Egyptian Society of Animal Friends, EGYPT
60. Elephant Aid International, USA
61. Elephant Asia Rescue & Survival Foundation, HONG KONG
62. ElephantVoices, KENYA
63. Ente Nazionale Protezione Animali – Onlus, ITALY
64. Environment Films, UK
65. European Animal Protection Foundation / Europaeische Tierschutzstiftung, SWITZERLAND
66. FAADA, SPAIN
67. Fanciers Nanning Stray Cats, CHINA
68. Finnish Federation for Animal Welfare Organisations (SEY), FINLAND
69. For Elephants International
70. Four Paws, UK
71. Four Paws International
72. Friends of the Earth, MALAYSIA
73. Fuzhou Aixinyuan Stray Animal Rescue, CHINA
74. Fuzhou Small Animal Protection Center, CHINA
75. GAIA, Voice for the Voiceless, BELGIUM
76. Gansu Green Volunteer Home, CHINA
77. GREY2K USA Worldwide, USA
78. Greyhound Compassion UK
79. Grupo de los Cien, MEXICO
80. Guangdong the Best Volunteer Center, CHINA
81. Guangyuan Bo’ai Animal Protection Center, CHINA
82. Guangzhou Cat -Xi Xi Forest, CHINA
83. Hefei Kennel Association Care Center, CHINA
84. Help Animals India, INDIA
85. Himalayan Animal Rescue Trust, INDIA
86. HK Dolphin Conservation Society, HONG KONG
87. Huhhot Angel Guardian, CHINA
88. Iceland Animal Welfare Foundation, ICELAND
89. In Defense of Animals, INDIA
90. In Defense of Animals, USA
91. International Otter Survival Fund, UK
92. International Primate Protection League
93. Jakarta Animal Aid Network, INDONESIA
94. JBF India Trust, INDIA
95. Jinan Cattery, CHINA
96. Karuna Society for Animals & Nature, INDIA
97. Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre, NEPAL
98. Korea Animal Rights Advocate, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
99. Korean Animal Welfare Association, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
100. Lanta Animal Welfare, HONG KONG
101. Lanzhou Street Animal Rescue Station, CHINA
102. Life Conservationist Association, TAIWAN
103. Lifelong Animal Protection, HONG KONG
104. Light of Life Veterinary Clinic, SINGAPORE
105. Love Wildlife Foundation, THAILAND
106. Lucky Cats, CHINA
107. Marine Connection, UK
108. MelbournDolphin, AUSTRALIA
109. moonbears.org
110. Nanchang Small Animal Protection Association, CHINA
111. Nanjing Ping An A Fu Stray Animal Rescue Association, CHINA
112. National Council of SPCAs. SOUTH AFRICA
113. Navale Consulting Group, INDIA
114. NY Class, USA
115. Ocean Care
116. Otara Foundation, SRI LANKA
117. Orangutan Aid, HONG KONG
118. Palawan Animal Welfare Association, PHILIPINNES
119. People For Animals – Chennai, INDIA
120. People For Animals – Hooghly, INDIA
121. Performing Animal Welfare Society, USA
122. Pet Orphans Home, CHINA
123. PETA, UK
124. PETA Asia, HONG KONG
125. PhaNgan Animal Care for Strays, THAILAND
126. Plant & Animal Welfare Society, INDIA
127. ProWildlife, GERMANY
128. Qingdao Society for the Protection of Animals, CHINA
129. RAKSHA - Voice of the Voiceless, INDIA
130. Rattle the Cage Productions, THAILAND
131. reEarth, BAHAMAS
132. Royal Veterinary College, University of London, HONG KONG
133. RSPCA Victoria, AUSTRALIA
134. Sahayog Organisation, Andhra Pradesh Goshala Federation, Hyderabad, INDIA
135. Save Animals Initiative Sanctuary Trust, INDIA
136. Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, VIETNAM
137. Shandong Yantai Caring Street Animals Rescue Shelter, CHINA
138. Sichuan Qiming Companion Animal Protection Cente, CHINA
139. SJZ One Meter More Love stray cats rescue group, CHINA
140. Society for Animal Welfare and Management, NEPAL
141. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Penang, MALAYSIA
142. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Selangor, MALAYSIA
143. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – SINGAPORE
144. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Xiangzhou, Zhuhai), CHINA
145. Soi Dog Foundation, THAILAND
146. Stiftung fuer Baeren / Foundation for Bears, SWITZERLAND
147. Stray Relief and Animal Welfare, INDIA
148. Sun Bear Centre – Kalimantan, INDONESIA
149. Swiss Animal Protection SAP / Schweizer Tierschutz STS / Protection Suisse des Animaux PSA, SWITZERLAND 
150. Taiwan SPCA, TAIWAN
151. Thai Fund for Elephant Foundation, THAILAND
152. Thane SPCA, INDIA
153. The Cattitude Trust – Chennai, INDIA
154. The Corbett Foundation, INDIA
155. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, KENYA
156. The Home of Love, CHINA
157. The Humane Education Trust, SOUTH AFRICA
158. The Welfare of Stray Dogs – Mumbai, INDIA
159. The Winsome Constance Kindness Trust, AUSTRALIA
160. Tianjin Common Home, CHINA
161. Together for Animals in China, CHINA
162. United Against Elephant Polo, INDIA
163. Vegan Virtues, AUSTRALIA
164. Vietnam Animal Welfare Organisation, VIETNAM
165. Voice for Zoo Animals, JAPAN
166. “We Are One Family” Charity Association of Chongqing Normal University, CHINA
167. Whale and Dolphin Conservation, UK
168. Wild Futures, UK
169. Wildlife Alliance, CAMBODIA
170. Wildlife in Need (and Active Environments), PHILIPPINES
171. Wildlife Protection Society of  India, INDIA
172. Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre, Bangalore, INDIA
173. Wildlife Salvation, SINGAPORE
174. Wolf Watch UK
175. Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association, CHINA
176. Xi’an Grenadine Companion Animal Rescue, CHINA
177. Xiamen Animal Protection Education Association, CHINA
178. Xiamen Pet Web, CHINA
179. Xinjiang Karamay City Street Animal Protection Centre, CHINA
180. YeuDongVat, VIETNAM
181. Zhangzhou Small Animal Scientifically Rescue Center, CHINA
182. Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, ZIMBABWE
183. Zoocheck Canada, CANADA
184. Da Nang Animals Rescue Centre, VIETNAM

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