Niagara Animal Defense League

marinelandanimaldefense: Like and reblog if you agree! Help us...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:24:45 -0400

Like and reblog if you agree! Help us spread the message and join with us to end this!

https://www.facebook.com/marinelandanimaldefense

Memorial Demo for the Animals of Marineland (Sunday June 23rd)

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:30:15 -0400

Memorial Demo for the Animals of Marineland (Sunday June 23rd):

marinelandanimaldefense:

Be there.

marinelandanimaldefense: SOCIAL MEDIA TUESDAY: For our finah...

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:57:16 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

SOCIAL MEDIA TUESDAY: For our finah push we have a new image to honour Baker. Please Share and Invite people to attend the Memorial Demo for the Animals of Marineland on June 23rd!

marinelandanimaldefense: (PHOTO SOURCE: Toronto...

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:37:09 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

(PHOTO SOURCE: Toronto Star)

BREAKING: Baker the Sea Lion Dies at Marineland

We have just learned of a press release from Marineland Canada reporting the death of Baker on June 10th, 2013. It can be read in full here. Marineland is boasting this as a celebration of Baker’s long life in captivity at the Park. Baker’s experience at Marineland was detailed in the Toronto Star last summer when former staff came forward to detail the alleged suffering at Marineland.

“Baker is a big guy, the only male sea lion swimming mindless laps during our two recent visits to the Aquarium. He used to be the clown, the funny fellow with the clear eyes, still featured in “Attractions Niagara.”

Now his body is scarred and itchy with patches of missing fur. Every time he passes rubs his head hard against the side, trying to scratch himself over and over. His eyes are squeezed so tightly shut it looks like he doesn’t have any. For all intents and purposes, he doesn’t.” (Source: Toronto Star).

That article can be read in full here.

Is this the beginning of a new era of transparency whereby Marineland will announce all animal deaths, or only the ones that are beneficial to their marketing goals? Considering the recent deaths of young belugas, Charlotte and Luna , which were kept hidden for months, we can assume that Marineland is will continue to monopolize on the lives of the animals that they exploit at Marineland. Neither, Baker, nor Charlotte or Luna, will be forgotten. Join us at the Memorial Demo for the Animals at Marineland on Sunday June 23rd, 2013 at 12pm.

marinelandanimaldefense: SOCIAL MEDIA TUESDAY! Please reblog...

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 01:19:40 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

SOCIAL MEDIA TUESDAY!

Please reblog our poster for our upcoming demonstration on June 23rd! RSVP and invite your friends here: https://www.facebook.com/events/546808555383883/?fref=ts

VOTE EVERYDAY FOR DAVID SUZUKI and M.A.D!

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 09:06:00 -0400

VOTE EVERYDAY FOR DAVID SUZUKI and M.A.D!:

VOTE EVERYDAY FOR DAVID SUZUKI and M.A.D!

David Suzuki has just been entered as M.A.D’s celebrity for the BiLLe’s Celeb Charity Challenge. If David Suzuki and M.A.D win, we get a chance to meet David Suzuki, We started late this month and already have risen to 37th place.

The Details:

-The #1 celeb only has around 6,000 votes. We have almost that many people on the M.A.D facebook page. This is real possibility for M.A.D.

- If we don’t win this month, votes carry over to the next month, so keep voting anyway!

-You can vote once a day!

- One voter will be randomly selected to meet David Suzuki, so make sure you vote!!!

-All you need is an e-mail account and a cell phone.

-Head over to http://celebcharitychallenge.org to complete the two step verification process (cell and e-mail) and start voting!

The Niagara ADL holds public open meetings every Tuesday night...

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 09:36:15 -0400

The Niagara ADL holds public open meetings every Tuesday night at our office at 281 St. Paul St in St. Catharines (Suite 201). For those who are coming out for the first time please come for 6:30 PM for an intro before the meeting. Anyone can add an agenda item to speak to and everyone goes away with an action item.

For More info:
http://niagaraadl.com/campaigns

https://www.facebook.com/events/654091037938836/?fref=ts

Photo

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 23:52:58 -0400

BREAKING: John Holer Threatens to Stab and Bury Demonstrator at Marineland

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 09:36:06 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

The 2013 Marineland season has begun and as it is illegal to leaflet to people at the drive in entrance as the City of Niagara Falls has leased that land to Marineland - we have encouraged advocates to leaflet the exit to the park where it is still lawful to do so.

Today while leafleting advocates were met with intimidation by park staff under the direction of park owner John Holer - which escalated to John Holer telling demonstrator Mike Garrett on film that he’s, “lucky he doesn’t have a knife” and “I’d bury you right here.”

Marineland Exit Leaflet Threat (June 1, 2013) - http://youtu.be/V61RPlakTxY

This is far from the first time that park owner John Holer has resorted to intimidation and threats - and already the second time since our campaign has started in 2011 that John Holer has uttered death threats while (noticeably) being filmed.

The first incident occurred in September 2011 where John Holer was irate over a demonstrator, Dylan Powell, standing on Municipal property making it impossible for his staff to errect a “Protestors Ahead - Keep Moving” sign which in itself was against Niagara Falls City By Law. In that incident, Holer threatened to cut off his head and also repeated the threat that he would “run him over” if he did not move. The Niagara Regional Police have knowledge of that video, however, never acted upon it.

Holer Threat Video (2011) - https://vimeo.com/29582044

Fast forward a year and a half later and John Holer still continues to flaunt his impunity in the Niagara region by uttering death threats that would receive criminal charges if the roles were reversed.

At this point we are demanding that the Niagara Regional Police investigate and lay criminal charges on John Holer, aka Ivan Holerjem, for uttering death threats and we will be following this release with media releases as well as a release to the NRP.

Is there one law for the rich and another law for the poor? We will find out.

ARREST, ARREST, ARREST JOHN HOLER!

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

MarineLand June 1 2013 Exit Leaflet “Checkmate”

[Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V61RPlakTxY]

MARINELAND SECURITY blocks MIKE GARRETT through

physical contact as MIKE holds his hands out with leaflets.

MIKE GARRETT (to camera): Look at this we’re hugging! This is the

closest I’ve ever been to evil in my life. Like literally.

CAMERA-PERSON: Come on he’s just doing his job,

JOHN HOLER: You are lucky I don’t have a knife.

MIKE GARRETT (to JOHN HOLER): You’re lucky you don’t have;

I’m lucky you don’t have a knife? So you would stab me if you had a

JOHN HOLER (to MIKE GARRETT): Yes I would bury you right

MIKE GARRETT: Wow, you’d kill me right here?

JOHN HOLER: I’d bury you right here.

MIKE GARRETT: You’d bury me right here, you wouldn’t even bother

to put me in the mass graves. [holds out leaflets to approaching van,

exiting the park] Come on up folks it’s just information. That’s all it

is, just information. John doesn’t wanna stab me and bury me here,

just take the leaflet.

MIKE and MARINELAND SECURITY reposition themselves as a

second vehicle approaches to exit.

MIKE GARRETT: All it is is information, that’s all. All it is is

information sir, you want a leaflet? Alright, have a nice day. [turning

to JOHN HOLER] See John all we’re doing is asking, people don’t

have to take it.

JOHN HOLER flails both arms around and approaches MIKE

JOHN HOLER: [unintelligible] take it! You have nothing better? I, I, I,

I… Idiot! An idiot.

MIKE GARRETT: A whale. You called me a whale earlier let’s stick

with the program.

JOHN HOLER: You’re idiot.

MIKE GARRETT (to camera): I can see John getting a little furious

here. Thankfully…

JOHN HOLER: [unintelligible]

MIKE GARRETT (to camera): Thank god John doesn’t have a knife

or he’d bury me right here as he said.

JOHN HOLER (to ML SECURITY): [unintelligible]

CAMERA-PERSON (to MIKE): Well, he’d have to do us both.

ML SECURITY (to JOHN): [unintelligible] bump into me.

MIKE GARRETT (to ML SECURITY): Yeah, we wouldn’t want that.

JOHN HOLER (To MIKE GARRETT): You bumping into us.

MIKE GARRETT: Well don’t stand in my way John, you’re standing

in my way.

ML SECURITY (to MIKE): It is public property.

MIKE GARRETT (to ML SECURITY): That’s right, this is public

property. I can stand here as well. If you choose to get in my way,

that’s not my problem.

CAMERA-PERSON: Well, it’s just kind of battling banjos really.

MIKE GARRETT: Yeah really.

CAMERA-PERSON: Actually maybe a little bit like chess.

MIKE GARRETT: Hmmm. It’s a chess game. [points at ML

SECURITY] Except this guy doesn’t know how to play chess.

BREAKING: Marineland Canada Confirms the Death of Belugas Charlotte and Luna

Fri, 31 May 2013 18:43:15 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

Photo Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur

In a rare move Marineland Canada spokesperson John Beattie has just confirmed that young belugas Charlotte and Luna are deceased.

With no standards to publish records, Marineland has routinely refused to confirm or deny animal deaths over the years. Beattie spun this death as unfortunate and claimed that their record is still better than belugas born in the wild - a statement that certainly can and will be contested.

Memorial Demo for the Animals of Marineland

Thu, 30 May 2013 11:26:21 -0400

Memorial Demo for the Animals of Marineland:

marinelandanimaldefense:

Join us for a Memorial Demo for the animals that have died at Marineland on Sunday June 23rd, 2013.

Marineland is a marine/abusement park located in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Marineland is one of the most widely publicized and controversial captive facilities in Canada.

Marineland has been the target of intense local, regional and international criticism for keeping whales (they currently house the largest group of captive belugas in the world and hole only one lone orca), dolphins and pinnipeds (walruses and sea lions); for its ongoing removal of significant numbers of whales, dolphins and pinnipeds from the wild; and for providing their land animal species (elk, deer and bears) with barren, often overcrowded conditions.

PLEASE WEAR BLACK OR DARK COLOURS!

PARKING: Free parking can be found in the Dufferin Islands Park which is across the street from the Marineland front entry gates.

If anyone has any questions or concerns about the demo please contact: marinelandanimaldefense@gmail.com

Many thanks for your ongoing support!! Hope to see you there - feel free to cross post this message.

For FAQ please check our website!

http://marinelandanimaldefense.com/faq

NOTE: This is the official Marineland Animal Defense event page for the demonstration. It is set to public so that anyone can invite people to this page and we appreciate it if people do just that and do not make separate or additional event pages.

The 2013 Marineland Exit Leaflet Strategy

Mon, 27 May 2013 21:03:50 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

Marineland Exit Leaflet May 26, 2013

Many probably don’t know, but our initial demonstration space was at the drive in entrance to Marineland. We’d have demonstrators down a ways from the lights and then a select few leafleting the entrance in safety vests. Park owner, John Holer, absolutely hated this set up. First he sent out employees with “Keep Moving” signs - signs that had been used in the years before, and then he built a new sign “Protestors Ahead - Please Do Not Stop” and placed it by the road and fixed it to a hydro/telephone pole.

Not content with that - Holer and park employees spent the summer intimidating and harassing demonstrators - claiming that they were going to go to jail, claiming that we were standing on Holer’s property, and going as far as threatening to run over demonstrators and cut their heads off (on film - here).

The situation was unbearable for the City of Niagara Falls and the Niagara Regional Police. They already refused to enforce by laws against Holer, and fabricated by law infractions to make threats against our protests - but Holer uttering death threats on film was more than they were willing to stomach.

In response the City of Niagara Falls, Marineland and the Niagara Regional Police hammered out a deal. They declared the land we demonstrated on a “surplus” - meaning that the public has no use for it - and leased the land to Marineland. They figured that this plan would criminalize demonstrations - it would now be considered trespass to leaflet and demonstrate at the drive in entrance - and in effect stop them. Instead we moved down from the walk in entrance gates and got louder and a lot bigger.

Marineland first claimed that they needed to lease the land for the safety of demonstrators - a rich claim since Holer himself was the largest threat to the safety of demonstrators and they were unwilling to do anything about that. They then moved on to claim that they needed the land in order to “beautify” the entrance to the park. Nearly a year later and the only thing done to that leased property is the extension of the “Great Wall of Holer” fence.

We give this history so that people know why we cannot leaflet the entrance and also so that people get a good idea of how effective and important leaflet the exit can and will be.

For this season we really want to try and get as many leaflets out as possible to cars exiting the park and also to get as many exit interviews as possible. Below are some tips to help people do both.

Exit Leaflet

First, do not leaflet by yourself. Ever. It is not safe to do so. We cannot stress this enough. If you are going to leaflet the exit at Marineland you need at least two people to do so.

Also, everyone leafleting the exit should have a camera on hand. Record any conversations with park employees and/or with the Niagara Regional Police. Get their badge numbers as well.

The property line is currently displayed with stakes and will eventually be evident at the exit when Marineland finishes their fence. As long as you are in between the road way and back from that fence you are standing on municipal property and you have a RIGHT to be there.

As cars approach the exit - stand on the grass shoulder with your arm extended. If they stop for a leaflet, give them one. “Just some information about the park” or any other introduction works. Do not stand out front of traffic, or stop traffic. As long as you are on municipal property and the motorist decides to stop - then you are perfectly okay to do what you are doing. It is also good to wear a safety vest while leafleting as it ensures that you are visible to motorists.

If you follow these guidelines above and John Holer or any employee of Marineland or any Niagara Regional Police officer tells you to stop or that you are breaking any law or bylaw - use this as a reference and guide and stand firm. You have a right to stand on municipal property and to offer information which motorists can choose to take.

Exit Interviews

One new thing we would like to introduce with leafleting this year is exit interviews. If folks leaving the park up for it - ask them to pull aside or put their four ways on and tape them asking these three questions -

- How was your visit to Marineland?

- What did you think of the treatment of the animals on site?

- Do you think you will return to the park?

After that, send them on their way with a leaflet. We will be compiling exit interviews the entire summer in order to give people leaving the park a space to offer their thoughts on what they just witnessed.

How to Get Organized

If people are interested and want to organize an exit leaflet there are a lot of ways you can do it. You can post in the Marineland Animal Defense group page looking for others to help out, you can post in the Marineland Exit Leaflet Schedule Google Doc or you can organize it on your own. If you need leaflets - let us know. If you have access and can print your own you can find .pdf files of our leaflets in our Activist Toolkit section.

We want to reduce the people entering this park to those who know and don’t care. Those people cannot be reached, but with just those people we feel like Marineland cannot sustain their business model.

This summer is a make or break summer and we need as many people out leafleting, week after week, as possible. Every car leaving this park needs a leaflet. Let’s make that a reality.

Taking on Marineland | socialist.ca

Sun, 26 May 2013 13:31:42 -0400

Taking on Marineland | socialist.ca:

marinelandanimaldefense:

If you’ve grown up in Ontario, you know Marineland as the amusement park with the affectionate orcas and infectious jingle. But amidst the growing controversy surrounding the park’s operations, its slogan - “everyone loves Marineland!” - is starting to sound more like a desperate plea than a statement of fact.

Marineland, located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, is well known for its exhibits of marine mammals such as orcas, beluga whales, sea lions, and dolphins, as well as non-marine mammals such as bears, deer, elk and buffalo. These days, it’s also becoming increasingly known as the site of evictions and suicide, of persecution of former employees and journalists, and - at the centre of it all - of cruelty toward its captive animals.

marinelandanimaldefense: Marineland Animal Defense E-News:...

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:58:08 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

Marineland Animal Defense E-News: We Did It!

Hey all

We did it! We doubled the Guinness Origami Whale record for Vijay, we broke our previous demonstration record, held the second largest animal advocacy demonstration in Candian history (and largest since 1984!), we thundrerclapped Marineland and we sent a strong message back to Marineland that their lawyers and PR consultants don’t scare us!

The demonstration was an amazing record of the work that young advocates have been doing to help turn the tide on this issue, and also a symbolic passing of the torch - with Ric O’Barry continuing to inspire new generations of advocates.

We are still sorting through thousands of demonstration photos and video trying to compile a full record of the day. In the meantime, you can read about the demonstration from the Toronto Star and compare it with the coverage in Sun Media.

To all of the folks who have been supporting this campaign in any way you can - thank you! This would not be possible without thousands of advocates, worldwide, joining with us to keep the pressure and focus on this park.

What is next? Our next big demonstration is schedules for July 27th as part of the International Empty the Tanks Day - a global day of demonstrations outside of captive marine parks. Please make that date a priority! Aside from that, you will also want to mark October 13th down on your calendar - closing day for the 2013 season at Marineland. There will be more dates to come and many more events - but we want to give people advanced notice of this two key dates.

We will continue to build and continue to increase pressure. This means continuing to build the Stephen Watson Memorial Fund (a grassroots transition fund for animals at the park), launching a second website, creating an interactive and full online Marineland archive, increased social media presence and an increased presence at the park. More than ever, we need your help to continue to push us forward. If you can donate - please do. If you can become a monthly donor - a sustainer - please do. This is an all volunteer, grassroots campaign and 100% of all donations go directly into increasing pressure on this park. As little as $5 a month can go a long way if we all chip in.

Our demonstration this past Saturday, which featured youth advocates, showed that our future is bright. Together we will shut down this park and give the animals on site a second chance!

SHUT IT DOWN!

—
“There’s about as much educational benefit studying dolphins in captivity as there would be studying mankind by only observing prisoners held in solitary.” - Jacques Cousteau

Donations - we accept donations to our paypal: marinelandanimaldefense@gmail.com and can also arrange for cash/cheque pick up’s and drop off’s

Website - Facebook - Twitter

marinelandanimaldefense: BREAKING: In his statement of defense...

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:27:10 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

BREAKING: In his statement of defense ex-trainer Phil Demers has alleged that park veterinarians had given drugs, intended for animals, to employees and John Holer for their own personal use! Stay tuned as we release the full history of our complaint to the College of Veterinarians of Ontario on this exact point.

brockanimalrights: Hey there BARC-ers! We are sending out...

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:54:51 -0400

brockanimalrights:

Hey there BARC-ers!

We are sending out this special e-mail to give an update about Marineland Animal Defence’s Opening Day Demo at Marineland in 4 DAYS on May 18th!

If you have not heard about M.A.D, you must have been living under a rock the past year. Marineland became international news when the Toronto Star released a series detailing abuse and neglect at the park. M.A.D has held several demonstration before and after that series broke. They expect this demo to be their largest one yet! Come out if you can! You do not want to miss this!

Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/155401654604350/?fref=ts

Demo Schedule: http://marinelandanimaldefense.com/post/50269713950/may-18th-demonstration-schedule

Need a ride? GET ON THE BUS!

BUS INFO: http://marinelandanimaldefense.com/post/50347003844/may-18th-bus-information

There are several other ways you can support this campaign and help the animals at Marineland :

1) Follow M.A.D on Social Media

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/marinelandanimaldefense?fref=ts

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/426530037380461/?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marinelandAD
Website: http://marinelandanimaldefense.com/

Mailing list: marinelandanimaldefense@gmail.com

2) Promote/ Share/ Re-tweet/ Invite

M.A.D releases an image every Tuesday for “Social Media Tuesday”. We have attached this weeks image. Share the heck out of it and invite all your friends to M.A.D’s opening day event page.

3) Thunderclap on May 18th. Sign up all you Facebook and Twitter accounts to the Marineland Thunderclap. It’s easy, takes seconds, and will bum out animal abusers.

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/2155

That’s all for now, folks! Hope to se you all on Opening Day!

marinelandanimaldefense: Knowing the history of opposition to...

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:19:01 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

Knowing the history of opposition to Marineland, as well as the history of opposition to animal captivity, is an important focus of this campaign.

28 years ago today the MOVE Collective house was bombed by the Philadelphia Police Dept murdering 11, including 5 children.

In the history of the MOVE Collective, predominately known as a radical black liberationist collective, was a long history of protest against vivisection, dog breeding and animal captivity - including campaigns against the Philadelphia Zoo in the early 1970’s.

Their critique of captivity was broad and the tactics they were using to protest against it were way before their time.

Today we remember the MOVE collective, recognize their place in the history of opposing animal captivity, and recognize ourselves that the struggle to free other animals from captivity are never isolated struggles - they are a part of a broader struggle to live freely and to respect all life.

Free the Move 9! Free Mumia!

“All living beings, things that move, are equally important, whether they are human beings, dogs, birds, fish, trees, ants, weeds, rivers, wind or rain. To stay healthy and strong, life must have clean air, clear water and pure food. If deprived of these things, life will cycle to the next level, or as the system says, ‘die’.” - John Africa (MOVE).

May 18th Bus Information!

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:16:04 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

First off we want to thank everyone for their patience in waiting for this information! Now that it is up, please make sure you are at your location in advance. We will have bus captains at each stop that will help you get on board and help you with any questions or concerns on the day off. They will also be there looking to round people up on the day off - make sure you are present and visible!

We also still have room on these buses! So encourage friends and family to get on with you and help us fill them!

*We strongly suggest you arrive at your intended bus stop 15-20 minutes early.*

If you still need a ride, but are not on this bus route please post looking for rides on the demonstration event page.

Toronto / Hamilton / St. Catharines / Niagara Falls

Toronto (Keele Station) - 9:15am

Hamilton (Barton and May St. - Food Basics Parking Lot) - 10:10am

St. Catharines (258 Lake St. - Rexall Parking Lot) - 10:50am

Niagara Falls (Marineland - 7657 Portage Rd) - 11:25am

Leaves to return home from Marineland at 3pm.

Waterloo / Kitchener / Guelph / Niagara Falls

Waterloo (115 King St Uptown) - 8:15am

Kitchener (City Hall, Duke Street side) - 8:30am

Guelph (Church of Our Lady Immaculate - 28 Norfolk St) - 9:00am

Leaves to return home from Marineland at 4:30pm.

weeptowaterthetrees: marinelandanimaldefense: This “Social...

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:03:52 -0400

weeptowaterthetrees:

marinelandanimaldefense:

This “Social Media Tuesday” we are bringing back a favorite of ours - the “Seal of Approval!” Share it with your friends and family and encourage them to join us for opening day on May 18th!

Shut em down.

The Stephen Watson Memorial Fund

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 12:52:58 -0400

marinelandanimaldefense:

We are happy to announce a grassroots transition fund which we have been brainstorming around for months! The Stephen Watson Memorial Fund is a public savings account which will grow - as the pressure from this campaign continues to grow. The funds in that account will never be released unless Marineland or a future buyer agree to end captive breeding programs, end importation of new animals and agree to transition animals out of the facility. The funds will be used for transportation and care only - getting animals out of the park and set up in their new non-profit, rehab or sanctuary homes - and will never be used to pay the park for the animals. If Marineland ever does transition and instead sends their animals to another captive for profit park - then this fund transfers to another grassroots pressure campaign at a marine park and continues with the same purpose and the same funds.

This fund is a necessity as grassroots groups are tasked with building and keeping pressure on parks - however, when facilities crumble it is typical for larger non profits to swoop in and claim victory. They have the connections, resources and donors capable of such a move. It is a good thing that this is possible - but we want to build a grassroots fund where the thousands of people who oppose this park can actively donate to a fund to transition these animals. Where the transition of animals isn’t claimed by one wealthy donor and one organization - but by multiple organizations and thousands of people.

The decision to name this fund after a long time, dedicated ocean activist who we lost last year was an easy one. Stephen Watson, and his wife Renée, were an inspiration to the start of this campaign as well friends and mentors to many of the organizers. We wanted to do something substantive honour Stephen’s memory and to keep him with us as we continue to advocate for animals at this facility. Together we will build a fund, in Stephen’s name, that will hopefully one day remove the animals from this park to the care they deserve.

The fund was announced last night at our second anniversary dinner and launches with a generous anonymous donation of $1,500. We will be building a seperate page on this site to update the fund as it progresses and all donations made to the fund will be posted publicly (with names or anonymously). You can donate to this fund at demonstrations, by pick up or drop off in the Niagara Region, or online via paypal or email money transfer to marinelandanimaldefense@gmail.com with the note “Stephen Watson Memorial Fund.”

Below is a statement from Stephen’s wife, Renée Watson, on the fund.

Stephen was a man who believed in honour, integrity and living life authentically. He believed that all life had value and basic inherent rights, that being the right to live freely without imposition, oppression or fear. Although he felt this way for all sentient beings, he focused most of his energies towards increasing awareness of the plight of the oceans and the creatures living within.

Stephen was intimately connected to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society with his brother being Captain Paul Watson founder and director of this organization. Stephen’s gift as an artist was the way in which he could best support his brother’s organization, which he believed in so very much, and to bring attention to the loss and depletion of our oceans. He donated numerous art pieces to raise funds for organizations that focused their energies on keeping sea life safe and protected, in their natural environment.

The biggest affront to the largest of these ocean dwelling animals is the senseless slaughter, and perhaps worse, the capture and imprisonment of these majestic beings. MAD is a grassroots organization Stephen would be proud to be a part of. It would have given him great joy to see the end to theme parks that hold animals imprisoned, forced to entertain masses of humanity. Until that is a reality, naming this trust fund after him both honours him and keeps his presence in the struggle to shut down marine theme parks forever.

Oceans and the beings that live beneath the surface must be protected and allowed to replenish itself. For as Captain Paul would say, “if the oceans die, we die.”

Thank you
Sincerely Renée Watson.