Tony Moore of Fight Against Animal Cruelty In Europe said in march that his organization and other animal rights groups would oppose a proposed large aquarium to be built as part of a revitalization project in Southport, England.
Moore, whose group opposes aquarium projects on principle, claims that aquariums stress animals and are the equivalent of “peep shows”. He told The Liverpool Daily Post,
There is no justification for an aquarium, when we have such wonderful video footage of marine life. [Apparently Moore is unconcerned about the stress caused by camera crews in the seas]. Aquariums take many of their animals out of the wild and there is a constant need to replace them. Not only does this bring stress to the animals, surely this [aquarium] must be the least appealing out of all the proposed uses of the site.
. . .
It would be like a peep show. I thought I had better do something about it now before it really gets going, because I would not want something like this on my own doorstep. I do not want it to get to the point where they accept it.
Responding to Moore’s claims that the aquarium would place stress on the animals, John Pugh, member of Parliament for Southport, told The Liverpool Daily Post,
It is a bit premature to come to a judgment when one doesn’t know what kind of environment the marine life would be kept in. Some marine life can be kept in an aquarium quite well without any accusations of stress or abuse involved.
But not from animal rights activists such as Moore. The Fight Against Animal Cruelty In Europe web site maintains that (emphasis added),
A captive environment can never provide all that a wild animal needs. . . . Why not get a new idea instead of an old one especially one that abuses sentient beings.
Sources:
Steamy Water Babes and Husky Hunks delight the crowds in London’s hot tourist spot. Press Release, Fight Against Animal Cruelty In Europe, August 2, 2004.
Animal rights group protest over resort’s aquarium plans. Graham Davies, The Liverpool Daily Post, March 9, 2005.
I recently visited Dubai Mall, but when I reached at the aquarium section, I felt terribly horrified and depressed at the sight of the hundreds of big and small fishes, sharks,sting rays, small fishes etc together in a narrow and small water tank. I felt like I was hearing lots of distressful cries and misfortunes of the fishes there. Its extremely cruel that just for the entertainment of human eyes, such cruelty to the animals is being carried out. Its just like that I bring lions, tigers, elephants, zebra, deer, cats, rats, dogs,cheetas etc together under one roof of my 22 feet long and 11 feet wide living room. And feed them best of the world”s food. But it is against the nature. Money in excess is a good thing to have but it should be used in a positive and a constructive way. This terrible cruelty to the innocent creatures should be noticed and stopped, that cannot even speak of their sufferings. This small tank (even if made of gold) is not their true abode. Their world is the seas where they live in their own water terrirtories. If they die there, still they would have lived a free and a natural life. It should be closed and the species should be freed into the water again.
I’ve been following your blog for a while now. Thanks for putting this up. Good read.