Florida is known for its extravagant theme parks, incomparable to that of its competitors. It is home to SeaWorld Orlando, Disney Cove, Aquatica, Busch Gardens Tampa, and Adventure Island. Children and adults alike dream of a magical day spent at these parks but are typically unaware of the atrocities that are occurring right before their eyes. If I’m being completely honest, it wasn’t until the Blackfish movement that I became educated on the unethical treatment of the animals at these parks. Now I know most of you have Netflix, and I also know that most of you spend a frustrating 30 minutes or so scrolling through the endless options before you resort to a subpar television show you’ve been monotonously watching for the past few weeks. This week I encourage you to watch Blackfish. It’s an eye-opening documentary that takes you behind the scenes of each SeaWorld location and offers insight from previous employees on a day in the life of the overworked and under-loved animals they have confined.

While SeaWorld may be an adventure for humans, it is no adventure for the Penguins, Orcas and Dolphins that are exploited purely for our pleasure. An Orca in a tank is to that of a human in a bathtub. The size of the tanks that SeaWorld deems habitable for these massive creatures are minuscule in comparison to their capacity. SeaWorld employees have been trained to lie to you. Theme park goers are told by their staff that Orcas live abundantly longer in captivity than in the ocean. This is a fabrication they spiel to make you think they have the whale’s best interests at heart. Realistically, male Orca’s live an average of 30 – 60 years in their natural habitat while females live 50 – 100 years. In captivity, these whales rarely surpass nine years. The life most of these animals spend in captivity is a mere fraction of what they are capable of experiencing in the ocean, and for that alone, SeaWorld should be ashamed of itself. These animals are not like most wild animals who are born and leave their family to create their own. Orcas live in pods and remain with their family for life so when SeaWorld abducts them, they are tearing families apart and solely the enjoyment of others. Despite what most think in regards to animals having emotions, there is video footage of the whales enduring stress and depression once they are ripped from the ties of their family. The act of stealing these animals away from their life is heinous and is for what purpose? To do back flips and entertain a few tourists?

Like the Orcas, Penguins are also cramped up in small habitats. These animals also face dangers because people recklessly litter their tanks. Water-Quality Diver, Sarah Fischbeck stated that she would find items from shoes to pennies strewn in and around the cages. The Penguins, not knowing any better, often eat the litter causing serious health problems that result in surgery. Not only are these incredible creatures exploited in their tanks but they are also taken advantage of outside. Penguins have been put on display on the trading room floor of the New York stock exchange entirely as an inhumane stunt to appease Wall Street. Any person with morals would know that this is unacceptable. Dolphins are commonly referred to as the “Einsteins” of the animal world. They share many of the same characteristics as humans. They are intellectually sharp and actually have problem-solving abilities. Each Dolphin has a very distinct personality as well as an awareness of time. Unfortunately, many of these Dolphins can be found in SeaWorld’s touch tanks where their physical and mental health is compromised. While in these exhibits, the marine animals are subject to bacteria from the thousands of hands poking and prodding them daily. This can, of course, be detrimental to their health as well as their minds. The constant invasion of their already limited space makes them anxious and can elicit neurotic behavior.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is fighting for animals to be included in Amendment 13 of our U.S constitution. Harvard law professor, Laurence Tribe agrees and he boldly weighs in by stating “Somemay even be offended by the implied comparison of human slavery with the experience of non-humans who are captured in the wild and kept in conditions that are unnatural for the species. But that reaction would overlook both what we have in common with some other species and the many respects in which the Constitution is an essentially aspirational document. Its bold language and broadly expressed principles offer themselves to each generation as we struggle to define our national values in an ever-changing world. Ours is a vibrant Constitution, more than capable of warding off past evils while also speaking to circumstances in which we come to recognize that familiar principles apply in ways previously unforeseen. So it seems to me no abuse of the Constitution to invoke it on behalf of non-human animals cruelly confined for purposes of involuntary servitude.” Not only does PETA and numerous law professors agree, but so do constitutional scholars and previous SeaWorld employees.

PETA has crafted a number of incredible campaigns available for you in hopes of getting the media’s attention. The “I Would Rather” campaign has become a humorous way to spread the word of SeaWorld’s wrong doings. Thousands of people have taken to Twitter to start a movement. @LesleyKing31 tweeted “I’d rather sit beside a crying baby on a 5-hour plane ride than go to SeaWorld”. @SorryImMarilyn tweeted “I’d rather sit through a whole day of watching paint dry than go to SeaWorld” and @_JayAllie_ tweeted “I’d rather go to school all 12 months of the year than go to SeaWorld” And cue the mic drop.

Numerous organizations have retracted their partnerships with SeaWorld since these facts have come to light. The Miami Dolphins, JetBlue and Virgin America agreed to no longer associate with the company. Along with them, Savings.com removed all their SeaWorld promotions and coupons and Outdoorplay.com refuses to be affiliated with them by no longer allowing them to purchase from their company. New York restaurant, Bagatelle even canceled SeaWorld’s 50th-anniversary party to prove a point. These are huge movements that are making a difference. Celebrities as prestigious as Matt Damon, Justin Timberlake, Cher, Russel Brand, Jessica Biel and Josh Groban are even voicing their strong opinions via social media and are making a splash (pun intended)

If you read this article and for one moment sympathized with the enslaved orcas, penguins and dolphins that SeaWorld has been lawfully profiting from, then I urge you to do something. Don’t give SeaWorld your money. Orlando is a bustling city with much more to offer than the exploitation of innocent animals. Find another way to spend your Saturday. And be the voice that these animals don’t have. SeaWorld’s marine life doesn’t deserve the limitations that this capitalistic company has placed on them.