Lolita
is an orca “killer” whale who has been performing at the Miami Seaquarium (http://miamiseaquarium.com/Shows/Killer-Whale-and-Dolphin)
since 1970 and Gigi Glendinning is the founder of 22reasons.org (http://22reasons.org), an organization that
teaches “compassion and reverence for all animals” who believes Lolita deserves
a rehabilitative retirement where she has round-the-clock veterinary care and the
opportunity to return to the sea.

Glendinning
was out advocating at a booth at the Chestnut Hill Garden Festival on Sunday
with a niece costumed as a killer whale.  Kids were invited to paint a life size illustration of a
killer whale on a huge tarp on the ground.  22Reasons and 
several similarly missioned organizations are mounting a petition drive
and urging parents to NOT buy tickets to shows like Lolita’s where animals are
forced to perform.  It sends a
contradictory message to children, Glendinning maintains, to attempt to instill
respect for these animals while simultaneously mistreating them.

According to Glendinning, Lolita was
illegally captured and is being illegally contained in a concrete pool so small
her tail touches the bottom and where, as a member of an exceptionally
intelligent and social species, she is deprived of necessary social contact and
subject to many confinement-related afflictions.

She
presented your correspondent with a copy of the book, “Death at Sea World: Shamu
and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity” by  David Kirby  (St
Martins Press 2012) about killer whales in the marine park industry, their
advocates and the brutal and sometimes lethal attacks on  trainers over the years, attributed to
captivity-related aggressiveness of the orcas. Watch video interview here.

From
Seaquarium website: “There’s only one place where you’ll find Pacific
white-sided dolphins living, playing and performing alongside a killer whale!
Be amazed and delighted by Lolita the Killer Whale and her exotic Pacific
white-sided dolphin friends as they show off their natural grace, beauty and
intelligence through the special relationship between animal and trainer.
Guests watch as Lolita and her trainer "walk on water" and celebrate
all there is to enjoy during your stay in Miami!”