Bill Description:
This bill would make it illegal to:
• Keep orcas in captivity for any purpose
• Breed orcas
• Transport orcas out of California
Orcas possessed prior to January 1, 2017 will be grandfathered in, and may be kept until their death.[teaserbreak]
Furthermore, the bill stipulates that orcas held for rehabilitation or research purposes must be returned to the wild whenever possible. If reintroduction into the wild is not possible, then the orca may not be used for breeding, performance, or entertainment purposes.
Background:
For more information on why this bill is necessary, read Born Free USA’s blog on the documentary Blackfish, which exposed the deep inhumanity inherent in keeping killer whales captive.
For more information on SeaWorld’s recent announcement about phasing out its orca breeding program, click here. However, its announcement is just corporate policy, and therefore could change at any time. To ensure that this is truly the last generation of orcas kept in tanks in California, we need the legislative solution that A.B. 1453 provides.
Read the full text and follow its progress here.