Day of Action! Activists Show Thomas Cook It Must Cut All Ties With SeaWorld
From St Andrews to Portsmouth, local activists today demonstrated outside dozens of Thomas Cook stores throughout the UK. Their message was clear: Thomas Cook has gone halfway by suspending online promotions of SeaWorld and must now sever its remaining ties with the marine abusement park.
Following months of campaigning by PETA and our supporters, Thomas Cook announced in February that it was suspending online promotions of SeaWorld. This was a step in the right direction, but the company continues to prop up orca abuse by selling tickets to the park. It’s also carrying out an “audit” of SeaWorld, but this is futile – countless veterinarians and cetacean experts have already determined that the animals imprisoned there are suffering.
In addition to demonstrating outside stores, PETA and our supporters have been pressuring Thomas Cook to drop SeaWorld in a variety of ways. Last week, renowned explorer and environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau sent the travel company a letter highlighting that orcas’ intelligence, culture, and ability to feel a wide variety of emotions make them especially vulnerable to psychological and physical suffering in captivity. He joins Sharon Osbourne, Paul O’Grady, and over 22,000 PETA supporters who have already contacted Thomas Cook about this issue.
Thank you to all the activists who took part in the day of action. Here are some photos from the demonstrations:
- Barnstaple
- Carlisle
- Hereford
- London, Islington
- London, Lewisham
- Nottingham
- Wilmslow
Orcas are highly intelligent animals who live in large, complex social groups and swim up to 140 miles a day in the ocean. At marine parks such as SeaWorld, they’re confined to tiny concrete tanks, where they’re deprived of physical and psychological stimulation and forced to spend their days swimming in endless circles. At least 41 orcas and dozens of other dolphins have died in captivity at its facilities so far.
What You Can Do
Please contact Thomas Cook and let the company know how disappointed you are that it continues to sell tickets to SeaWorld.
If you’re interested in taking part in future demonstrations for this campaign or others like it, please join our Action Team today.
