Diana, just offering my support. We'll keep spreading the word - it is a "hot" topic no doubt but one that, when well informed, allows people to make an educated decision. I thank you for all the research you have done and your efforts to communicate the findings. ALOT of us greatly appreciate it!

Just my 2 cents, I have never researched this, but have thought about doing it with our children and will not based on what I have read here and in past posts. It sounds incredibly cruel to me. Carol

Wow.

I can't tell you how much it means to me for people to get passionate about this subject and to help spread the word and educate people about the downside of the swtd programs.

When I did it in the early 90's, the 'Net was not available on a widespread basis for a dissemination of resource information.

Now that (nearly) all of us have access to it, we can make informaed decisions and help educate people about things for which we feel strongly.

Thanks so much to all of you who have also lent support, and to those of you who have considered doing this and then decided not to after doing further research.

Greenie said it best above, "Education is the cure for ignorance!"

Isn't it amazing how dolphins often protect people at sea? Sometimes they even circle around capsized people to protect them from sharks! And remember how they kept Elian Gonzalez company when he was afloat? Just incredible stories. I didn't know they would approach swimmers in the wild. That is just too cool. What magnificent creatures! At least they seem to enjoy humans.

I agree with "mm" about zoos. I absolutely hate seeing those giant wild animals in cages. They are not even close to being in their original habitats and climates. The whole idea of staring at living things in captivity is gross. And the smaller, local zoos are absolutely hideous; those animals just seem drugged and totally miserable.

From what I've read, I think elephants and greyhounds are often treated the worst of all the animals in captivity.

I do not go to Circuses because like dreamer2..I think that Elephants are one of the worst treated.

I have been to the Zoo in Asheboro,NC near where I live and the animals live on open land not cages and looked happy.Sometimes you cannot see some of the animals because they have soo much land to roam..which is good.I had some binoculars and watched the giraffes who looked to be happy.

Although...I did see a Mountain Lion that was in a small cage and did not agree with it.I really felt so sorry for that cat.I am so glad that all of the animals were not in cages or I would have been very upset.

Very interesting discussions, especially for insomniacs like me. Just an added note: I have heard of a great dolphin "exposure" trip based in Bimini. You go on a boat for a week and they take you around to see dolphins in the wild. You swim with dolphins every chance you can get. It is strictly forbidden to touch the dolphins (although, I suppose you can't help it if they want to touch you). The captain/crew seem very sensitive to the issues surrounding dolphin health. I suggest anyone truly interested in dolphin encounters should check it out. Just search under Bimini and dolphins.

This topic is now a hot one on the US board.

mm

Education like this really does make a difference.

MM, while I agree that zoo's that keep animals in cages are to be frowned upon as well, would a distinction between many zoos and SWTD business be that it seems, and forgive my ignorance if I'm wrong, that many zoos are centers for research, education, and preservation activities, and use animal display to generate community support for the research and preservation and, more importantly, to fund the research. Also, it seems to me that most high-quality zoos put a great deal of effort into replicating the animals natural (and quickly vanishing) habitat, such that, from the animal's perspective, it's not that much different from being in the wild (except that they're not constantly running for their lives).

Maybe I'm just not in tune with what really goes on in places like the San Diego Zoo, etc., but I think that in at least some instances a distinction can be drawn.

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