It was a landmark day in the U.S. District Court in San Diego today. For the first time ever, a federal court is considering whether or not the 13th Amendment, which prohibits slavery, applies to five orcas—Tilikum, Katina, Kasatka, Ulises and Corky—who are now incarcerated at SeaWorld amusement parks. PETA, three marine-mammal experts, and two former SeaWorld trainers filed the suit in the orcas’ behalf in October. SeaWorld filed a motion to dismiss the case—but that didn’t happen today. Instead, Judge Jeffrey Miller said he will consider the case and will issue a ruling at a later date.

For a full hour, Judge Miller asked thoughtful questions of both sides and listened as Jeff Kerr, general counsel to PETA, spoke in behalf of the orca plaintiffs.

"It’s a new frontier in civil rights," Kerr said in his summary of the case. Slavery does not depend on the species of the slave any more than it depends on race, gender, or ethnicity, he argued. "Coercion, degradation, and subjugation characterize slavery, and these orcas have endured all three."

We couldn’t agree more.

Source: PETA website

Note from GAP Project: PETA´s initiative marks the beginning of a fight in world courts against the slavery of animals in aquatic parks, zoos and entertainment centers. This already happened in Brazil, with lawsuits defending the right of Habeas Corpus to free chimpanzees, and is similar to the cause defended by a Dutch organization, which claims for the release of orca Morgan, sent to Park Loro, in Spain, instead of being released in the sea. Those who explore and enslave animals know that society is much more aware, all over the continents, about the harm caused to innocent beings used with money purposes.

Related news:

PETA Sues SeaWorld for Violating Orcas’ Constitutional Rights
http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2011/10/25/peta-sues-seaworld-for-violating-orcas-constitutional-rights.aspx