Timmy the whale captured the hearts of thousands as he fought for his life and was transported for weeks through the Baltic towards the North Sea. People across Europe and beyond followed every update and live stream, formed a deep emotional bond with him and trusted that all decisions would be guided by veterinary and scientific expertise. Timmy became more than just a whale – he became a symbol of our relationship with the ocean and our responsibility towards vulnerable wildlife.

The announcement that Timmy had finally been released into the open sea on 2 May 2026 should have been a moment of pure relief and joy. Instead, it has left many unresolved questions and growing concern among those who supported his rescue. Conflicting reports, missing documentation and technical problems around his tracking device raise serious doubts about how exactly this crucial final step was carried out.

Based on publicly available information and statements from people close to the process, several points are particularly worrying:

The veterinary rescue team, including Dr Kirsten Tönnies, was reportedly not present at the moment of release, even though they had been responsible for assessing Timmy’s condition and welfare throughout the operation.
The decision about the exact time and place of the release appears to have been taken by the ship’s crew, rather than by the veterinary and scientific experts who had been leading the rescue efforts.

Unlike large parts of the operation, which were documented via live streams and video, there is no publicly available footage of the critical moment when Timmy actually left the pontoon and swam free. According to media reports, political approval for the continuation of the mission was linked to the condition that the unloading and release would be properly monitored and documented on video, making the absence of such material even more troubling.

The reported release location seems to differ from earlier plans discussed by experts, and concerns have been raised about local risks such as dense shipping traffic, predators and currents.

The GPS tracking device attached to Timmy is reported to be malfunctioning. Even those who are supposed to accompany and protect him do not currently have reliable location data. Whether the device was damaged during a rough release from the barge or failed for another reason is unclear – but the fact remains that the authorities and experts responsible for him are effectively “blind” to his whereabouts.

When the life of a sentient being is at stake, transparency is not optional – it is a moral duty. People who closely followed Timmy’s story, donated money, invested time and emotional energy and defended the rescue publicly have a legitimate interest in knowing whether his release was truly carried out in a humane, safe and legally sound way, and whether previously communicated conditions were respected.

We therefore call on the responsible authorities and organisations – including the competent veterinary authorities in Schleswig‑Holstein, the Ministry for Agriculture, Rural Areas, Europe and Consumer Protection, and the operators of the vessel involved – to:

1. Conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Timmy’s release, including decision‑making structures on board at the time.
2. Obtain and review full internal documentation of the release (including exact time, location, method and any existing video material), and assess whether it complied with animal‑welfare and safety standards.
3. Clarify whether there were formal conditions attached to the political approval of the unloading and release (such as full video documentation), and whether these conditions were in fact met.
4. Provide a clear public statement explaining why the veterinary team was apparently not present at the decisive moment and whether all expert recommendations were followed.
5. Share a summarised, non‑sensitive account of the findings with the public, and confirm in general terms that Timmy’s current status and tracking situation have been evaluated, without disclosing detailed positional data that could endanger him.
6. This petition is not about blaming or attacking individual people. It is about truth, accountability and the ethical treatment of wild animals whose fate lies in human hands. Timmy’s story has already moved the world – now it should also set a precedent for transparency and integrity in future rescue operations.

By signing this petition, you are calling for a full clarification of what happened during Timmy’s release, so that his story can be one of hope, responsibility and respect, rather than one overshadowed by avoidable doubts and unanswered questions.