PETA blasts SeaWorld San Antonio for death of disabled dolphin in its care for less than a year

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has called out SeaWorld San Antonio, accusing the theme park of treating a disabled dolphin that died in its care on March 19 as a prop used to entertain visitors.

The dolphin Helen died after less than a year at the park and will undergo an autopsy, according to a post on SeaWorld San Antonio's Facebook page. In its post, the park maintains that Helen lived a happy life, receiving specialized veterinary treatment and joining a pod of fellow Pacific white-sided dolphins.

However, PETA said the injured mammal deserved to be in a "legitimate" seaside sanctuary, not put on display as entertainment.

"After being caught in a fishing net and losing most of a flipper, Helen spent years being shipped from aquarium to aquarium, and now she has died at a SeaWorld abusement [sic] park, where she was treated like a prop on public display," PETA Executive Vice President Tracy said in an emailed statement, 

"PETA urges SeaWorld to release all dolphins who cannot be returned to their home waters, including those who are injured, to legitimate seaside sanctuaries, where they could spend their days in ocean habitats."

Helen was 33 years old at her time of death, while the average lifespan of white-sided dolphins is 40, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Helen was rescued after becoming trapped in a fishing net off the coast of Japan in 1996. A portion of her pectoral fins had to be amputated during the rescue, and Helen was deemed "non-releasable."

After the near-death experience, the disabled dolphin was moved to the Vancouver Aquarium in 2005 and resided there until her April 2021 move to SeaWorld San Antonio. However, the move to the Lone Star State wasn't without controversy.

Animal rights activists including Vancouver lawyer Victoria Shroff argued that Helen should instead be relocated to one of Canada's whale sanctuaries, saying that the dolphin deserved a happy retirement, according to the Toronto Star.

Adding fuel to the fire were the deaths of five other aquatic mammals under care of the Vancouver Aquarium, including Helen's former tank mate and two beluga whales that died within days of each other. Despite the public outcry, NOAA approved SeaWorld San Antonio's permit to house Helen for "public display," and the dolphin was relocated to the amusement park shortly thereafter, the Star reported.

It's unclear when or if the results of Helen's autopsy will be made available to the public by SeaWorld San Antonio.

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