Saying it faces ongoing cash problems in bankruptcy, the new managers of the Miami Seaquarium want the legal authority to quickly sell hundreds of marine mammals without requiring court approval for each sale, which could involve closing many parks.
A former trainer at the Seaquarium says she’s worried sales would involve animal transfers, stressing that safely moving animals is a tricky business — and that the current court process lacks an advocate for dolphins, sea lions, and seals.
“The judge needs to do his or her due diligence, ” said Shanna Simpson, a former Seaquarium trainer. “You have to have very experienced people doing these because, you know, they can be very stressful for the animals if they’re not done right. She explained that when she has been involved in transports, animals need a specialized team…