End Swim-With-Dolphins Programs at the Dolphin Research Center
End Swim-With-Dolphins Programs at the Dolphin Research Center
The Issue
The Dolphin Research Center in Marathon, Florida calls itself a "sanctuary and forever home." But what it actually offers is something very different: paid encounters where tourists swim with, touch, and interact with captive dolphins — animals that were bred there, not rescued.
Real sanctuaries don't work that way. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), the leading accreditor for animal sanctuaries worldwide, requires that true sanctuaries never breed animals, never sell them, and never allow public contact. The Dolphin Research Center fails every one of these standards.
In May 2026, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asking the agency to investigate the center for using the word "sanctuary" in a way that misleads the public. According to PETA's filing, most of the dolphins at the facility were born in captivity — meaning they were never wild animals in need of rescue. They exist to provide entertainment for paying customers.
"Swim with dolphins" programs are harmful to the animals involved. Dolphins are intelligent, social creatures. In the wild, they travel dozens of miles each day, live in complex social groups, and make their own choices. In captivity, they are kept in enclosed pools and trained to accept the presence of strangers — touching them, riding them, and chasing them through the water — all on a schedule designed around tourist bookings, not dolphin well-being.
The people who visit the Dolphin Research Center — or donate to it — often believe they are supporting rescued animals in a genuine refuge. They deserve to know the truth.
We are calling on the Dolphin Research Center to end all swim-with-dolphins and public animal contact experiences. We are also calling on the FTC to act on PETA's complaint and hold marine facilities accountable when they misuse the word "sanctuary" to attract visitors and donations.
If you believe animals deserve honest protection — and that the word "sanctuary" should actually mean something — please sign this petition.
266
The Issue
The Dolphin Research Center in Marathon, Florida calls itself a "sanctuary and forever home." But what it actually offers is something very different: paid encounters where tourists swim with, touch, and interact with captive dolphins — animals that were bred there, not rescued.
Real sanctuaries don't work that way. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), the leading accreditor for animal sanctuaries worldwide, requires that true sanctuaries never breed animals, never sell them, and never allow public contact. The Dolphin Research Center fails every one of these standards.
In May 2026, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asking the agency to investigate the center for using the word "sanctuary" in a way that misleads the public. According to PETA's filing, most of the dolphins at the facility were born in captivity — meaning they were never wild animals in need of rescue. They exist to provide entertainment for paying customers.
"Swim with dolphins" programs are harmful to the animals involved. Dolphins are intelligent, social creatures. In the wild, they travel dozens of miles each day, live in complex social groups, and make their own choices. In captivity, they are kept in enclosed pools and trained to accept the presence of strangers — touching them, riding them, and chasing them through the water — all on a schedule designed around tourist bookings, not dolphin well-being.
The people who visit the Dolphin Research Center — or donate to it — often believe they are supporting rescued animals in a genuine refuge. They deserve to know the truth.
We are calling on the Dolphin Research Center to end all swim-with-dolphins and public animal contact experiences. We are also calling on the FTC to act on PETA's complaint and hold marine facilities accountable when they misuse the word "sanctuary" to attract visitors and donations.
If you believe animals deserve honest protection — and that the word "sanctuary" should actually mean something — please sign this petition.
266
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on May 6, 2026