CONTACT: Nicolette Petervary,
VMDAnimal Care SpecialistUSDA APHIS Animal Care,
920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27606
Telephone: 919-855-7100
Fax: 919-855-7123
Email: nicolette.petervary@aphis.usda.gov
Please read the complaint below regarding Dolphin Research Center, a non-profit organization that is clearly not in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act.
VIDEO OF TUBE FEEDING: http://youtu.be/DuZWl-nr5i0
The portion in bold is all you need submit by any method above, simply cut and paste. You can also fax a document directly from your computer using http://faxzero.com
Be sure to include your contact information. We want them to respond. ________________________________
Nicolette Petervary, VMDAnimal Care Specialist
USDA APHIS Animal Care,
920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27606
RE: DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER AC15-054
As a concerned citizen, please investigate Russ Rector’s complaint to you DATED OCT 22, 2014 thoroughly and provide an opportunity for the dolphins to be treated in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act. It appears the Dolphin Research Center facility is substandard, the handlers clearly are not well-trained, even in standard husbandry techniques, and both Rainbow and Molly are suffering. I request your followup regarding this complaint. Signed,
-----------------------------------------------
Please read the original complaint by Russ Rector. Your message above provides profile to his complaint. Russ Rector was once a dolphin trainer and has spent the last thirty plus years waging a battle against captivity.
OCT 22, 2014
Nicolette PetervaryUSDA/APHIS/
AC 920 Main Campus Drive Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27606-5210
Dear Nicolette,
The following complaint concerns the Dolphin Research Center at 58901 Overseas Highway, Grassy Key, FL 33050-6019.
At the end of late-summer 2014, I was contacted by a concerned citizen that had visited the Dolphin Research Center and while there saw a dolphin name Rainbow, who appeared to be in distress. They sent me a still picture which is attached to the complaint filed by Russ Rector, showing the animal in very shallow dirty water with his pectoral fins resting on the bottom and his eyes closed. It was clear this animal was experiencing some sort of difficulty and because of that the people at DRC covered his head and melon with zinc oxide to protect from sunburn and cracking skin because he was not submerging.Because of the condition of Rainbow, we arranged to have another of my field operatives visit DRC and videotape the facility.
While there, video of Molly was taken showing them capturing her for some type of medical procedure and then tubefeeding her some type of liquid which appears to be water and Maalox. These videotapes were shot over a period of a few days starting October 5 and running through October 8. In these videotapes they capture Molly and injure her rostrum using techniques that are not accepted industry standards in handling these animals. The videotape shows clearly the inexperience of the people involved from DRC. These videos were submitted to you by Russ Rector as well. The techniques of capture and the subsequent tubing of Molly raise many questions about the veterinary care and practices at DRC. The techniques involved could almost be construed as animal abuse. The techniques are so far below the accepted industry standards that one must ask why this was done in the manner it was done. The video shows clearly that Molly and the people at DRC were put in harm’s way unnecessarily by these unaccepted medical practices.
Please review the videos that were submitted by Mr. Rector of Molly and Rainbow please notice the water quality and the growth all over the back fence which definitely impedes water flow into an already compromised area. It is my understanding that years ago there were cleaning scheduled almost weekly to keep that fence clean as not to impede the water flow, it seems that DRC is getting lazy in keeping the fences adequately cleaned.
After speaking with other ex-dolphin trainers and showing them the videotape we have come up with the following set of questions that need to be answered:1) Everywhere At DRC hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent making safe, comfortable, stable floating and underwater platforms for paying public. Why is there no such safety feature available to access, control and treat sick or injured dolphins?2) Handlers were forced to expose themselves and Molly to injury in the so-called med pen. Why has it not been upgraded to industry standards in over 35 years? 3) Why are the handlers in neck deep water instead of industry standard knee deep to ensure their safety and ease of control of 300-400# dolphin?4) Why are the pole ends not padded? This is risking dental, eye, and nose injuries or broken faces for both handlers and Molly. 5) Why are the handlers obviously not experienced in techniques and strength levels necessary to restrain a dolphin with Molly's 50 years of experience? Were they being schooled on the job? Tubing Molly's wildly swinging head without towel raps over top and lower jaw (another industry standard made difficult by working in neck deep water) created more injury potential to both Molly and handlers.6) For a dolphin as trainable as Molly, why she is not trained to take a tube to eliminate the need for the entire unnecessary abusive physical and mental trauma that was visited on a very geriatric dolphin? Please view the videos focusing on all violations of the AWA and also concerning accepted industry standards when handling animals for any type of medical procedures and ignoring Rainbow who clearly is having some type of medical problem and is not being treated properly.Please investigate this thoroughly and keep me apprised of all actions taken. Please review the videos that were submitted by Russ Rector, a member of our organization and provide a thorough investigation into this.
Respectfully,Russ Rector
824 S. W. 14th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
VMDAnimal Care SpecialistUSDA APHIS Animal Care,
920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27606
Telephone: 919-855-7100
Fax: 919-855-7123
Email: nicolette.petervary@aphis.usda.gov
Please read the complaint below regarding Dolphin Research Center, a non-profit organization that is clearly not in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act.
VIDEO OF TUBE FEEDING: http://youtu.be/DuZWl-nr5i0
The portion in bold is all you need submit by any method above, simply cut and paste. You can also fax a document directly from your computer using http://faxzero.com
Be sure to include your contact information. We want them to respond. ________________________________
Nicolette Petervary, VMDAnimal Care Specialist
USDA APHIS Animal Care,
920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27606
RE: DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER AC15-054
As a concerned citizen, please investigate Russ Rector’s complaint to you DATED OCT 22, 2014 thoroughly and provide an opportunity for the dolphins to be treated in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act. It appears the Dolphin Research Center facility is substandard, the handlers clearly are not well-trained, even in standard husbandry techniques, and both Rainbow and Molly are suffering. I request your followup regarding this complaint. Signed,
-----------------------------------------------
Please read the original complaint by Russ Rector. Your message above provides profile to his complaint. Russ Rector was once a dolphin trainer and has spent the last thirty plus years waging a battle against captivity.
OCT 22, 2014
Nicolette PetervaryUSDA/APHIS/
AC 920 Main Campus Drive Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27606-5210
Dear Nicolette,
The following complaint concerns the Dolphin Research Center at 58901 Overseas Highway, Grassy Key, FL 33050-6019.
At the end of late-summer 2014, I was contacted by a concerned citizen that had visited the Dolphin Research Center and while there saw a dolphin name Rainbow, who appeared to be in distress. They sent me a still picture which is attached to the complaint filed by Russ Rector, showing the animal in very shallow dirty water with his pectoral fins resting on the bottom and his eyes closed. It was clear this animal was experiencing some sort of difficulty and because of that the people at DRC covered his head and melon with zinc oxide to protect from sunburn and cracking skin because he was not submerging.Because of the condition of Rainbow, we arranged to have another of my field operatives visit DRC and videotape the facility.
While there, video of Molly was taken showing them capturing her for some type of medical procedure and then tubefeeding her some type of liquid which appears to be water and Maalox. These videotapes were shot over a period of a few days starting October 5 and running through October 8. In these videotapes they capture Molly and injure her rostrum using techniques that are not accepted industry standards in handling these animals. The videotape shows clearly the inexperience of the people involved from DRC. These videos were submitted to you by Russ Rector as well. The techniques of capture and the subsequent tubing of Molly raise many questions about the veterinary care and practices at DRC. The techniques involved could almost be construed as animal abuse. The techniques are so far below the accepted industry standards that one must ask why this was done in the manner it was done. The video shows clearly that Molly and the people at DRC were put in harm’s way unnecessarily by these unaccepted medical practices.
Please review the videos that were submitted by Mr. Rector of Molly and Rainbow please notice the water quality and the growth all over the back fence which definitely impedes water flow into an already compromised area. It is my understanding that years ago there were cleaning scheduled almost weekly to keep that fence clean as not to impede the water flow, it seems that DRC is getting lazy in keeping the fences adequately cleaned.
After speaking with other ex-dolphin trainers and showing them the videotape we have come up with the following set of questions that need to be answered:1) Everywhere At DRC hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent making safe, comfortable, stable floating and underwater platforms for paying public. Why is there no such safety feature available to access, control and treat sick or injured dolphins?2) Handlers were forced to expose themselves and Molly to injury in the so-called med pen. Why has it not been upgraded to industry standards in over 35 years? 3) Why are the handlers in neck deep water instead of industry standard knee deep to ensure their safety and ease of control of 300-400# dolphin?4) Why are the pole ends not padded? This is risking dental, eye, and nose injuries or broken faces for both handlers and Molly. 5) Why are the handlers obviously not experienced in techniques and strength levels necessary to restrain a dolphin with Molly's 50 years of experience? Were they being schooled on the job? Tubing Molly's wildly swinging head without towel raps over top and lower jaw (another industry standard made difficult by working in neck deep water) created more injury potential to both Molly and handlers.6) For a dolphin as trainable as Molly, why she is not trained to take a tube to eliminate the need for the entire unnecessary abusive physical and mental trauma that was visited on a very geriatric dolphin? Please view the videos focusing on all violations of the AWA and also concerning accepted industry standards when handling animals for any type of medical procedures and ignoring Rainbow who clearly is having some type of medical problem and is not being treated properly.Please investigate this thoroughly and keep me apprised of all actions taken. Please review the videos that were submitted by Russ Rector, a member of our organization and provide a thorough investigation into this.
Respectfully,Russ Rector
824 S. W. 14th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
