animal rights activist slams charities for shunning the perfect pair dolphin trilogy - the dolphin "blackfish"

Over the years, I have read numerous books about captive dolphins and the unbridled horror they face day after day. Many of these books brought tears to my eyes; many left an indelible mark upon me; but The Perfect Pair Dolphin Trilogy without doubt stamped my heart forever. I have never read a book - let alone a trilogy - where I literally felt my heart beating through my chest. Never have I read a book where the anticipation was so overwhelming. To me, it can only be compared to the 1933 movie, King Kong, when Fay Wray was the sacrifice: the drums, the beat, the anticipation. Just waiting for Kong to make his long-overdue entrance was overwhelming. That is pretty much how I would equate reading this trilogy, page by page, waiting for what comes next.

When you read this amazing story, I guarantee that you will feel disturbed and heartbroken, as shock and disbelief sweeps over you.

On completion of the trilogy, you will have learned everything that these captive dolphins are about. You will feel connected to them, as they capture your imagination in a variety of ways. You will be filled with an overabundance of emotions - feelings unique to you. I love that this trilogy delves into the dolphins’ curiosity about everyone and everything; their relationships with one another and their extraordinary, powerful bonds. You will read about a myriad emotions – happiness, sadness, anger and, sadly, their acceptance that all hope is lost and there is only one way out … the biggest heartbreaker of all. The Perfect Pair trilogy touches on all that and so much more.

You will read how in many instances, the dolphins acted like spoiled children, throwing fits when they did not get their way. Those times always brought a smile to my face. They were mischievous, causing all sorts of mayhem for their trainer and one another - something you don’t always find in other animals. Last, but certainly not least, loyalty and love: you will read about the dolphins’ undying allegiances and their connection with one another.

The magical part of this trilogy is the amazing connection the dolphins had with David Capello, their trainer. That was special and something to behold; and it is that which sets them apart from other animals in the wild. When I tell you that these highly social dolphins will give their heart, body, mind and soul, believe it! They really will. And I say with absolute certainty that all the dolphins David trained fell into this category. In a nutshell, the dolphins in The Perfect Pair trilogy were sleek, graceful, playful, amazing and - the best word to describe them – majestic.

Unfortunately, where there is good, there is always bad – and it is scandalous that the bad exposed in this trilogy should be so meticulously shielded by the very same organizations that claim to be helping captive dolphins. Lies are just part of the bad that cloaks the lifespan of a captive dolphin, not to mention the mental abuse that trainers and presenters endure. It is beyond grueling, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching … but, most of all, it is painfully sad - comparable to watching someone you love dearly enduring unimaginable pain until their very end. And here’s the kicker ... that’s just a fraction of what you will feel when reading this exposé - that’s just how special it is.

Where there is good and bad, there is often evil - horror, torture, neglect and murder. Yes, murder! It’s an absolute disgrace how the big corporations have zero regard when it comes to dolphins. I am still shocked at how low they will go to make a dollar. They have no heart or compassion. The company featured in the trilogy (the kind behind all aquariums, dolphinariums and zoos) pushed and pushed until these amazing dolphins could perform no more. Then, like all big money conglomerates, it incorporated tactics geared to breaking the dolphins’ minds - shake-ups, force feeds and more. And when the company realized that it was costing money to keep dolphins who were no longer fit to perform, it simply ‘disposed’ of them, making it appear as if they had died of natural causes. Further, depending on the circumstances, they would erase all history of said dolphins from official company logbooks. Delete and move on to the next dolphin, who will live out his life in the same way. Rewind and replay.

I truly believe that if people knew about the hell captive dolphins endure, things would change. Case in point, people might already know that captive dolphins live in a pool 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; but do they know that most live their entire lives in chlorinated water? Chlorinated water! Imagine washing your face in bleach mixed with water; what that would do to your eyes, skin etc. Imagine living in it till your end of days. But not only do these heartless companies expect their captive dolphins to swim in chlorinated water, they also close their eyes to the havoc wreaked in the pools by algae and bacteria. Their solution? Add more chlorine until the dolphins are forced to swim with their eyes welded shut.

The abhorrent tactics these companies use to make a dollar leave me speechless. It’s just a damn shame that the charities already know this - and so much more – yet don’t care. When I tell you that The Perfect Pair trilogy touches on this - and a lot more - believe me, it does.

Let me hit on something else - a fact that I personally believe to be blatantly overlooked: reproduction is difficult in captivity … added to which, it is damn near impossible to maintain a family as animals are traded between different facilities like we traded baseball cards back in the 70s and 80s. ALL dolphins belong in a vast ocean of blue - not an artificial pool. To put things into perspective, the sea is to dolphins like air is to birds, no less …

Knowing this, ask yourself, why would charities go to such lengths to block this exposé? Why? We already know the answer: it’s about lies, deceit and maintaining cover-ups that have been going on for longer than we can imagine. To me, the fact that this trilogy could blow the captive industry wide open IF it had proper exposure speaks volumes. It scares all the money-hungry companies with their far-reaching tentacles. There are so many people who are vehemently against dolphin captivity, but what can you do when the charities are literally backstabbers – counterproductive thieves mired in their own personal agendas?

The fact is, these ‘charities’ outwardly promote what all activists are fighting for; yet behind the curtain, they use public donations for the exact opposite, not giving a crap about captivity or, even more egregious, actually supporting captivity.

Can someone please explain how a world-renowned charity can claim to be working to shut down the captive dolphin industry once and for all, then, when offered photos, documents, witness testimony and irrefutable proof from official dolphinarium logbooks, do NOTHING … ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!? I myself have witnessed this. I have been peppering the largest charities in the world with emails and receiving no replies at all. I find it truly demoralizing ... but, make no mistake about it, my resolve has never been greater. After you read The Perfect Pair trilogy, you will understand why I feel like this.

I have always said that Blackfish put a massive dent in the armor of SeaWorld, and I believe that if this trilogy no longer faced a UK media block, and the powers that be in the USA ceased pushing it into the shadows, the armor of the captive dolphin industry would likewise be pierced. If only there were a charity prepared to fight, rather than cave to the point where envelopes are handed beneath tables …

We need someone prepared to put their foot down on the greedy corporations that abuse dolphins. It's time we ALL let the public see what really happens when the curtain falls and the artifice drops.

C Nico, Animal Rights Activist