As anti-war activists in the 1960s warned us, war is bad for all living things. And these days, that apparently includes trained dolphins, who are being used by the Russian Navy to counter Ukrainian divers attempting to enter the port and sabotage Russian warships. We cannot allow Putin's criminal invasion of Ukraine to include the exploitation of innocent animals!
Sign now to demand the Russian Navy immediately halt the use of marine mammals in their acts of war!
Dolphins are remarkably intelligent and highly social creatures. The charismatic marine mammals lead vibrant lives in which they develop complex relationships with one another. Each dolphin has its own name, one which other dolphins refer to it by. Dolphins are also self-aware, and famously known as one of the smartest animals on the planet. They deserve a life of autonomy and respect – not to be dragged into Putin's brutal war games as puppets of violence and destruction.
New satellite photos show that the Russian military has placed trained dolphins at the entrance to a port in the Black Sea, and naval analysts believe that this is part of a careful strategy to protect the base. Given that dolphins have some of the most sophisticated sonar abilities in the world, they are quick to detect mines, sometimes better than even the most sophisticated technology. The U.S. has trained dolphins and other sea creatures to do this same thing in the past.
This is just another egregious example of Putin's illegal invasion being even more inhumane than we had previously imagined. No marine mammals – or any animals at all -– should be part of acts of war or wartime strategy. We must stop the exploitation of these dolphins now! Sign the petition to tell the Russian navy to end their use of innocent animals in war!