Southwest Airlines: Stop Promoting Dolphin Cruelty

The Issue

I love dolphins! And I also am a loyal Southwest Airlines Customer. How do those two things go together?

Well, to start – Southwest is my go-to airline when traveling domestically and to Mexico. Unassigned seating, two free checked bags and some of the friendliest staff in the skies! But more importantly, in 2014 Southwest made me and millions of other dolphin lovers happy when they bravely ENDED their famous 26 year marketing partnership with SeaWorld after 30,000+ people signed a Change.org petition.

So, I was shocked to see Southwest running advertisements to fly to popular destinations to “swim with dolphins.” Southwest KNOWS that marine mammal entertainment is wrong which is why they ended their SeaWorld deal. Now, I’m calling on Southwest to once again be on the right side of history and stand up against animal exploitation by discontinuing their ‘swim with the dolphins’ ads.

Dolphins are incredibly smart and beautiful creatures, and it’s really no surprise that people would want to swim with them. Unfortunately, captive dolphin shows and swim-with programs are cruel and extremely inhumane. Watch The Cove and you'll understand why!

Dolphins are often stolen from their natural habitat – ripped from their families – in order to supply the demand for such experiences. The process of capturing and transporting dolphins to swim-with locations is inhumane and many animals die in the process. Those that do survive are then condemned to live a stressful and miserable life being forced to interact with humans for food.

Dolphins are highly intelligent social beings that live in large family groups and can travel up to 100 miles a day in the wild. In captivity, however, they are forced to live in confined, artificial conditions and they suffer immense mental and physical stress as a result; this can weaken their immune systems and make them prone to disease. A life in a tank or a netted off cove is no life at all!


Let’s make sure dolphins stay wild, free and happy!
 Please help stand up for dolphins by signing and sharing my petition today.

avatar of the starter
Candace CrespiPetition Starter
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This petition had 3,936 supporters

The Issue

I love dolphins! And I also am a loyal Southwest Airlines Customer. How do those two things go together?

Well, to start – Southwest is my go-to airline when traveling domestically and to Mexico. Unassigned seating, two free checked bags and some of the friendliest staff in the skies! But more importantly, in 2014 Southwest made me and millions of other dolphin lovers happy when they bravely ENDED their famous 26 year marketing partnership with SeaWorld after 30,000+ people signed a Change.org petition.

So, I was shocked to see Southwest running advertisements to fly to popular destinations to “swim with dolphins.” Southwest KNOWS that marine mammal entertainment is wrong which is why they ended their SeaWorld deal. Now, I’m calling on Southwest to once again be on the right side of history and stand up against animal exploitation by discontinuing their ‘swim with the dolphins’ ads.

Dolphins are incredibly smart and beautiful creatures, and it’s really no surprise that people would want to swim with them. Unfortunately, captive dolphin shows and swim-with programs are cruel and extremely inhumane. Watch The Cove and you'll understand why!

Dolphins are often stolen from their natural habitat – ripped from their families – in order to supply the demand for such experiences. The process of capturing and transporting dolphins to swim-with locations is inhumane and many animals die in the process. Those that do survive are then condemned to live a stressful and miserable life being forced to interact with humans for food.

Dolphins are highly intelligent social beings that live in large family groups and can travel up to 100 miles a day in the wild. In captivity, however, they are forced to live in confined, artificial conditions and they suffer immense mental and physical stress as a result; this can weaken their immune systems and make them prone to disease. A life in a tank or a netted off cove is no life at all!


Let’s make sure dolphins stay wild, free and happy!
 Please help stand up for dolphins by signing and sharing my petition today.

avatar of the starter
Candace CrespiPetition Starter
Media inquiries

Petition Closed

This petition had 3,936 supporters

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The Decision Makers

Linda Rutherford
Linda Rutherford
Vice President, Chief Communications Officer at Southwest
Responded
“Thank you for raising the issue of Southwest's fall ad with a voice over reference to swimming with the dolphins. Southwest believes firmly in connecting people with what’s important in their lives. This often includes travel and bringing families together. In this instance we referenced something that hit a nerve and we appreciate your bringing your concerns to our attention. This advertisement has come to the end of its run and is not scheduled to air again. As a responsible member of the community and a Company that values conservation, we support several organizations and events that are devoted to maintaining the natural world, so we understand the concerns being raised. If you’d like to know more about Southwest’s commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet, please read our Southwest Airlines One Report at www.southwestonereport.com. Thanks for writing and sharing your concerns. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions. Linda Rutherford Vice President, Chief Communications Officer Southwest Airlines”
Gary C. Kelly
Gary C. Kelly
Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Airlines
Kevin Krone
Kevin Krone
Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer of Southwest
Tom Nealon
Tom Nealon
Executive Vice President, Strategy and Innovation at Southwest
Ryan Green
Ryan Green
Vice President of Marketing at Southwest
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Petition created on January 3, 2017