Below is an official statement from Chris Carraway, Staff Attorney at the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project at the University of Denver Law School regarding Miami Seaquarium and a new report of animal welfare concerns cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Miami Seaquarium is currently suing an activist for criticizing the aquarium’s repeated, extensive, and well-documented violations. Seaquarium’s priorities are clear: it would rather spend time, money, and other resources to shut down criticism than resolve its animal welfare issues. This is what happens when you view animals as something to profit off of, rather than as individuals who deserve to be free.

Mr. Carraway represents animal rights activist Phil Demers in a lawsuit filed by Miami Seaquarium’s parent company over Mr. Demers’ speech criticizing the aquarium’s treatment of animals. Carraway describes the suit as a SLAPP suit, or Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation, aimed at silencing Mr. Demers’ First Amendment-protected expression, and has moved to dismiss the case.

The Animal Activist Legal Defense Project at the Sturm College of Law works to empower and defend animal advocates through activist defense, affirmative litigation, and training law students to join and transform the field of animal law. Learn more at:
https://www.law.du.edu/content/animal-activist-legal-defense-project.

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