Henry Smith MP has written to the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, calling on the country to end the practise of keeping wild dolphins in small swimming pools and in trucks to use in travelling circuses.

Henry said;

“In my role as the Co-Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, I’ve written to the President of Indonesia calling to ask him to intervene to ensure circuses in Bali no longer mistreat wild dolphins by keeping them in swimming pools and trucks for use in travelling circuses.

“I’m grateful to my parliamentary colleagues from a variety of parties for co-signing this letter alongside myself.

“Confining dolphins in captivity presents serious welfare issues, as they are wide-ranging, social animals – captivity lacks the social, visual and auditory stimuli of their natural environment.

“Their current environment is inappropriate and insufficient, and one in which they cannot meet their complex physical and behavioural needs.

“I look forward to discussing this further with parliamentary colleagues at the next meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare.”

Related articles:
All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare letter to the President of Indonesia

External links:
All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare