This blog is as much for ex-cetacean trainers and presenters as it is for those dedicated activists who, for no financial gain, sacrifice much of their lives raising awareness about the plight of our captive Atlanteans. In stark contrast, I must add, to the leading animal charities who seem more motivated in promoting their own lucrative anti-captivity messages than in supporting their less-grand, unpaid counterparts.
How many activists have, on occasions, asked a major charity for help? And how many have been blatantly ignored …? Nuff said! This unhealthy sense of competition between charities, activists and those involved in the captive industry has been around for decades – particularly apparent between cetacean trainers themselves: Who trained the first forward somersault? Who trained the best show in town? Who will be the first to train the shadow ballet? Fierce rivalries in which I played a huge part. Shameful obsessions that turned competing trainers into nothing short of snarling adversaries - a situation nurtured by opposing dolphinaria companies which, of course, hoped to reap the financial benefits. This competitiveness is as real today as it was back in my day. Trainers, presenters, handlers, activists and anti-captivity charities all swept up by delusions of grandeur, all cloaked in glorious isolationism, whilst our beautiful Atlanteans continue to pay the price. This exploitive industry only continues to prosper, because we – as a collective – jealously refuse to work together. So this is my plea to ex-dolphinaria workers globally: Put your inbuilt competitive streaks aside and unite in working with the millions of dedicated activists. WE are the ones in the know, and only by working as a team can WE right OUR wrongs. Only TOGETHER can we put this vile industry to the sword. www.theperfectpairdolphintrilogy.com is offering a blog spot to any ex-dolphinaria worker wishing to write their own exposé – a chance to feature on a website that reaches hundreds of people a day. If you genuinely regret your involvement in the captive cetacean industry and are still haunted by your experiences, here is your chance to secure some peace of mind. We cannot change the past, but we CAN influence the future. Thanks for listening. David Capello, ex-trainer
4 Comments
Rick Trout
16/4/2017 11:23:01
Thank you David Cappelo/Tracy Holroyd for giving both voice & venue for others to hear & be heard on behalf of ocean friends who many of us know continue to reveal we have so much more to learn from them than they have to learn from us. Their seniority on Earth is apparent not only by fact but by their superiority of peacefully coexisting with their habitats & each other far longer & better than too many gluttenous, warring humans.
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16/4/2017 13:18:12
Thank you, Rick, for your comment. We know that you are already doing so much to educate the public and to help our beautiful cetaceans. Many more would like to help, but are afraid to come forward. It is our hope that this platform will give them the courage to do so. And - of course - your blog contributions would always be welcome. Thank you again for speaking out.
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Susan van Lieshout
20/12/2017 16:56:32
I was the last dolphin trainer/presenter to work at Woburn. I have read through the first two volumes of the trilogy and have just started the third. I feel like I’ve been swept back in time, although my time with the dolphins (Sooty and Clyde) was in the early eighties, almost a decade on from your books.
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20/12/2017 18:52:49
Thank you for having the courage to get in touch and leave a comment, Susan. We very much appreciate it. The only way to stop the captive cetacean industry is for people like you to step up, as many trainers are still unwilling to come forward and tell the world of their experiences. We'd like to think that reading the trilogy has helped you decide to speak out. Should you ever wish to put your own perspective in a full blog, we'd be only too happy to publish it on our blog page, which has hundreds of hits a day. We are all-too-familiar with the UK company that ran Woburn, and the general manager that worked there. Thank you again. We'll hope to hear from you, and should you wish to private message us, please feel free to do so. We're all in this together.
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