Marineland, a marine amusement park in Ontario, Canada, has been under particularly intense scrutiny. The recent and tragic fate of its beluga whales and other animals has raised alarming red flags. Since 2019, the facility has witnessed the deaths of 20 whales in its care. Beyond its animal welfare practices, this alarming trend raises serious red flags about the company. The contradictions in this ongoing situation highlight the shortcomings of Canadian animal law. It mostly focuses on behavior and welfare of captive cetaceans and challenges their captivity on ethical grounds.
Since 2000, provincial inspectors have toured Marineland more than 200 times. Though under this scrutiny, the facility has received little to no consequence for its actions. In 2021, Marineland was hit with anti-cruelty charges for failing to maintain proper water quality for their cetaceans. Then, “shockingly,” in 2024 they were accused of similar violations for taking care of black bears. Even in the face of these challenges, the facility still operates with an alarming future for its remaining animals.
Euthanasia Threats and Regulatory Challenges
Today, Marineland is home to 30 beluga whales, but a potential financial crisis has led management to announce their intention to euthanize these whales. This possible move has already sparked protest from animal rights activists. The public is calling for accountability and transparency as to what is morally, ethically, and legally appropriate. The Canadian federal government’s recent denial of Marineland’s request for an export permit has escalated the issue. This pivotal ruling stops the belugas from being transported to a theme park in China.
The stage for this dispute is set in Canadian law, which has seen major shifts in recent years. In 2019, Canada outlawed the capture of cetaceans for display, a decision echoed by Ontario’s own province-wide ban in 2015. These laws specifically exempt cetaceans already in captivity. In effect, such facilities as Marineland get a free pass to continue trampling public property rights. Without this legal loophole, Marineland would not be able to open its doors even in the face of public outcry and mounting evidence of animal welfare abuses.
Marineland’s history highlights the failure of anti-cruelty laws in Canada. The 2012 Toronto Star investigation exposed the facility’s decades-long pattern of negligence. Though this exposure resulted in increased inspections, it failed to result in any meaningful improvement in regulatory oversight. Unfortunately, there’s a deep gulf between public concern for animal welfare and actual legal accountability. This gap begs the important question—just how effective are our current animal welfare laws, really?
The Impact of Public Attitudes on Animal Welfare
Growing public concern about animal welfare has put more pressure on Marineland. As Canadians become more concerned with the ethical treatment of animals, sanctuaries such as Marineland are experiencing increased scrutiny over their practices. As many advocates have noted, the worsening situation at Marineland is a strong indicator of mismanagement. They contend that this reality points to a more profound, systemic problem within Canadian animal law.
It’s the legal status of animals as “property” under Canadian law that makes such activism challenging and reform so desperately needed. This classification permits human and corporate owners to make decisions that can lead to the suffering or death of animals, often without consequence. Implementing this framework goes against the work we’ve been doing both for reconciliation and decolonization. More than that, it ignores the multifaceted intrinsic value of non-human lives.
The public backlash and legal restrictions have created an increasingly hostile climate for Marineland. Now facing even higher costs for the care of its animals while attendance continues to decrease, the facility is left to contend with a bleak future. Critics argue that without significant changes to both public policy and corporate practices, the situation for captive animals will remain dire.
The Need for Comprehensive Reform
In response to the ethical concerns raised by Marineland and other facilities like it, experts are advocating for a complete overhaul of Canadian animal law. This means rethinking ethical standards for how animals are categorized and setting more rigorous guidelines for the treatment of animals in labs. Last year, other advocates were urging legislators to put animal welfare front and center. To legislators, they asked to ensure that facilities are held accountable for the treatment of animals.
In addition, deepened public engagement and awareness can galvanize the wider movement for change. Audiences are increasingly aware of the ethical issues surrounding the exploitation of captive animals. Equipped with this understanding, they can be proactive in fighting for policies that align with today’s moral imperative. Collaboration between lawmakers, animal rights organizations, and the public is essential to create a framework that protects all animals from neglect and cruelty.