Washington State Close to Preventing Cetacean Captivity

 On February 2, 2016, the House of Representatives in the state of Washington passed the House version of a bill, House Bill 2888 (SB 65820),  that focuses on ending cetacean captivity in the state. The proposed bill prevents whales and dolphins from being held in captivity for entertainment, prohibits activities that would lead to reproduction, and it specifies how stranded or injured wild cetaceans should be handled. Washington’s Rules Committee within the Senate is next up to consider the bill.

Anna Gullickson, a sea plane pilot and orca advocate in the Seattle area, initiated the bill in 2015, and a new bill was submitted this year.

There are no current captive cetaceans in Washington State, though there have been in the recent past. Additionally, Washington State is where the tragic captures of orca whales took place in the 1960s and 1970s. This bill will make sure that Washington stays out of the dirty captivity industry for good, and it sets an important example for the rest of the nation.

We need your help to get the Washington State Senate to pass this legislation, in order to then bring it before Governor Jay Inslee for final approval. Success here will also help to build the momentum needed to pass a U.S. bill to prohibit cetacean captivity nationally.

Click here to take action:

http://ida.convio.net/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&id=2884