Spanish Court Dismisses Theme Park's €100,000 Defamation Suit Against PETA

Spanish Court Dismisses Theme Park’s €100,000 Defamation Suit Against PETA

Posted by PETA UK on November 13, 2017 | Permalink

A Spanish court has dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by Loro Parque, a Tenerife marine park, which sought €100,000 in damages from PETA after we publicised photos and commentary in 2015 showing orcas at the facility covered with scars and wounds.

The injuries pictured indicate inter-animal aggression and possibly unsafe enclosures. Other images showed severe dental trauma, which captive orcas typically develop from gnawing on tank gates and walls.

In her dismissal, the judge ruled that PETA’s opinion that orcas are suffering in captivity at Loro Parque, which is based on existing research and expert analysis, is protected under the constitutional right to freedom of expression. The court also ordered the company to pay PETA’s legal fees.

This ruling is a victory for animals, but orcas are still suffering at Loro Parque. The story of Morgan, a young female, is particularly tragic – she was originally taken from the wild because of health problems and was supposed to be returned to her family after recovering, but instead, she has been kept captive and forced to perform tricks at Loro Parque.