Former employees of the Miami Seaquarium made their concerns known about the transfer of animals at the facility through a petition and posts online.
The Seaquarium announced Monday it will close on October 12th following a year-long county eviction and bankruptcy filings.
While animal advocate groups like PETA praised the decision, some former employees say the closure only adds to their concerns.
Former Seaquarium trainer and manager Valerie Warren started the change.org petition to keep the animals at the Seaquarium and turn it into a sanctuary.
Multiple current and former trainers told CBS News Miami they are concerned transferring the animals to any facility could harm or even kill them. They said some animals are too old to move, while others would suffer extreme stress being taken away from other animals they’ve bonded with.
“This has nothing to do with the company. It has nothing to do with politics,” Warren said. “This is now just about the animals and wanting to make sure they have proper care going forward.”
Over the last decade, the Seaquarium has been criticized for its treatment of animals, most notably after the death of Lolita the killer whale two years ago.
USDA inspection reports from this year show two critical notes related to animal care in January. One report said a sea lion ingested a piece of foam during a procedure and an additional report noted low water levels in a dolphin enclosure.
Since February, there have been no findings on four subsequent reports posted by the USDA.
The next step in the upcoming redevelopment process is a bankruptcy court hearing on October 17. All final decisions are up to the county commission.
