University of Hawaii Fined For Deaths of Dolphins at Lab

It’s amazing to me that given our knowledge of the intelligence of dolphins that humans would still enslave them.

Article:

UH Fined For Deaths Of Dolphins At Lab

http://www.thehawaiichannel.com/news/9546291/detail.html

HONOLULU -- The University of Hawaii is facing a big fine from the federal government for allegedly mistreating four dolphins that died at its dolphin lab within two and a half years, KITV has learned.

UH is still deciding whether to pay the fine or appeal, sources said.

For nearly 30 years, animal activists have complained that UH's dolphin lab at Kewalo Basin was too small and unsanitary for the dolphins.

All four dolphins at the university's Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory died between late 2001 and early 2004. Two 27-year-old dolphins died of cancer, another died of an intestinal infection at age 16 and a fourth died of liver problems at age 20. Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins like those can live well into their 30s and 40s, officials told KITV.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture fined UH $65,000 for violating U.S. regulations about the care and protection of animals.

"Even though it won't bring the dolphins back, there is some justice in seeing the university having to pay a fine for violating federal law," said Cathy Goeggel of Animal Rights Hawaii.

"We are deciding how to respond," UH spokesman Jim Manke told KITV said. He noted that UH could pay the $65,000 fine or appeal it, which would involve hearings that would cost the university a lot of time and money.

The dolphin facility at Kewalo is abandoned now. It closed down after the last dolphin died about two years ago. The state plans to demolish it as part of revitalization of the Kakaako waterfront area.

"It's like fining me for taking great care of these animals and giving them love, and all my students are the same way," UH's dolphin lab head, Louis Herman, said.

Herman is UH psychology professor.

"I feel perfectly innocent of anything of that kind. We've given nothing but the best of attention and care to our dolphins all through many, many years that they were with us," Herman said.

"It will make people think seriously about why these animals would be kept in a small tank," Goeggel said.

A vet who worked at the dolphin lab has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against UH, claiming she was fired in early 2004 after she repeatedly raised questions about the sanitation and health of the dolphins.