Belgium Has Banned Cruel Dolphin Captivity, While the United States, China, and Japan Still Imprison Hundreds of These Intelligent Creatures

Dolphins are highly intelligent animals that lead rich social lives. In the wild, they can travel nearly 100 miles a day at speeds of up to 20 miles an hour. They're incredibly funny – they love to leap out of the water, chase each other, and even play with objects like seaweed, other marine animals, and so on.

But all of those joyful, complex behaviors that are intrinsic to dolphins are lost when they are imprisoned in captivity. The facilities where they are kept are often referred to as dolphinariums, and they are pure agony for the creatures inside.

In a heartening bit of good news, Belgium has just become the seventh country in the world to actually ban dolphinariums, signalling that it is willing to prioritize animal welfare over human entertainment or profit. But there are plenty more countries holding thousands more dolphins captive, and we cannot rest until they are all finally free.

Sign the petition demanding that the United States, China, and Japan -- the three countries with the highest number of dolphins in captivity -- ban dolphinariums at once!

Dolphins in captivity are kept in enclosures far too small to facilitate the dozens of miles and high speeds they are used to in the wild, forcing them to instead swim in repetitive, endless circles. They are often kept apart from their natural social circles and pods while in captivity, the isolation driving them to heartbreaking depression or aggression. The unnatural setting of dolphinariums often distresses these brilliant creatures. The stress, boredom, and frustration of captivity can even cause dolphins to self-harm, from chewing on the metal or concrete of their enclosures to banging their heads against the too-close walls.

The fact that humans see the horrific effects of captivity on dolphins, and still choose to imprison them for entertainment and profit is simply gutting.

But Belgium has proven that it doesn't need to be this way! Our world is a far better place when we allow animals to be who they are, to be where they belong, and to thrive. The emotional, physical, and psychological price of keeping dolphins in captivity just so we can see them up close is far too great.

That's why we must use Belgium's incredible decision to push other countries in the same direction. Between them, the United States, China, and Japan likely imprison over 1,000 dolphins.

Let's bring our voices together to urge the governments of the United States, China, and Japan to do the right thing and ban dolphin captivity. Sign to stand up for these amazing animals!