Dolphin at SeaWorld bites 9-year-old, prompts outcry from PETA
SeaWorld is facing another round of criticism from animal rights activists after one of its dolphins at the park's San Antonio location bit a 9-year-old girl. Visitors to Sea World's Dolphin Cove, where the incident occurred, are permitted to touch and view the dolphins, and the girl was reportedly trying to pet one of the mammals when it bit down on her hand. The animal reportedly bit so hard that an employee had to come over to help free her.
PETA is lambasting the park and its Dolphin Cove exhibit for endangering the animal and the public and is calling on the USDA to investigate. "It's stressful enough for far-ranging dolphins to be locked up in SeaWorld's tiny tanks, but forcing them to interact with visitors is downright dangerous," a PETA spokesman told ABC News. PETA is also circulating a photo of the incident.
The girl, who doesn't want to be identified, suffered swelling on her hand and wrist. SeaWorld said it hasn't heard from the USDA and is investigating the incident.
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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.
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