TERMINAL CITY - July 18, 2003

The Coalition for No Whales in Captivity wants as many supporters as it
can gather at the Vancouver Parks Board meeting July 21 to ensure an
old NPA bylaw with enough loopholes to get a dolphin through is removed.

Annelise Sorg says the coalition wants the board to return to the
original form of a 1996 bylaw which sets out methods by which the
Vancouver Aquarium can acquire dolphins or whales.

“We’re hoping the board will act fast and ban the importation of more
whales and dolphins,” Sorg says.

Sorg feels the aquarium subverted the parks bylaw in importing a
Japanese dolphin in 2001. If it brings in any more, the coalition is
prepared to go to court on the issue.

The meeting is July 21 at the parks board offices at 7 p.m.

Among those addressing the meeting will be Ric O’Barry of the World
Society for the Protection of Animals. O’Barry, who will also speak at
the Planetarium July 19 at 7 p.m. used to train dolphins for the TV
show Flipper.

“He tells the story about how his favourite dolphin died in his arms in
captivity,” Sorg says. “He saw the light.”

Sorg says she asked the board to invite the aquarium to the meeting but
said the aquarium has declined.

For more information, check out www.whaleprotection.org