Dolphins Did Not 'Volunteer' for War, Animal 'Rights' Activists Say

CNSNews.com ^ | 3/26/03 | Marc Morano

[kattracks]

(CNSNews.com) - Animal rights activists are blasting the U.S. Navy for its use of mine-detecting dolphins in the war with Iraq because, according to the activists, the marine mammals "have not volunteered" to be part of the war.

Stephanie Boyles, a wildlife biologist with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), said the use of dolphins to sweep for mines in Iraq is "just ridiculous."

"These are animals that, number one, have not volunteered to take part in this whatsoever. Number two, they are being put in harm's way...when they don't even know they are in harm's way," Boyles told CNSNews.com.

"There have been already enough victims in this world. We don't have to start adding other species to it," Boyles added.

Frank Gaffney, president of the Washington-based Center for Security Policy and a former assistant secretary of defense for international security policy under President Ronald Reagan, defended the use of the dolphins.

"My personal priority would be to save human lives and most especially American lives. If the dolphins can do so, hopefully at minimal risks to themselves and at great benefit to us, that seems to me to be a proper rendering of the priorities," Gaffney said.

Atlantic bottle-nosed dolphins were scheduled to arrive in the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr on Tuesday and were to be used for their natural sonar abilities to search the Iraqi coastline for hidden mines before humanitarian aid ships docked. Dolphins have a four-decades-long history of assisting the U.S. Navy.

U.S. Navy Captain Mike Tillotson told reporters in Iraq that the dolphins are trained to place a marker near any detected mines and avoid getting too close to the mines.

'Minds of Their Own'

But PETA believes animals should not play any role in the war with Iraq.

"Why are we spending time trying to train animals that have lives and minds of their own to try and carry out these tasks for us? That just seems a little archaic, not to mention unreliable," Boyles explained.

Boyles believes the use of dolphins to detect the presence of mines may cost lives because the dolphins may think the whole effort is a game.

"They have minds of their own; they don't realize the tasks they are being taught to perform are life and death. And when they don't perform correctly, human lives will be lost," predicted Boyles.

"[The dolphins] think this is a game, and yet the risk to their lives and the amount of suffering they may endure is great, and we don't seem to care about that," she added.

The animal "rights" activists are also concerned about the possible negative methods the U.S. military has used to train the dolphins.

"That's our great fear, that they are using negative reinforcement in order to train these animals," Boyles said.

"They are certainly not disclosing to us how they are training these animals," she added.

Boyles wanted to make it clear that PETA is in solidarity with America's fighting forces in Iraq.

"We support our troops. We have friends over there as well, and we believe they deserve the very best defense possible," Boyles said.

'Abominable'

But scores of dolphins swimming in Iraq's harbors and waterways are not going to give America's soldiers that defense, according to Boyles.

"[Dolphins] are not a good choice for the military, it's just ridiculous, and for them to try to convince the American public otherwise is abominable," she said.

Naomi A. Rose, a marine mammal scientist with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), said the animal "rights" group was "concerned about the welfare" of the dolphins but declined to denounce the use of them during wartime.

"As we have in the past, we will continue to express our concerns to the Navy and Congress about the military use of marine mammals, but while the war continues, we remain focused on the welfare of all those in the combat zone - human and animal," Rose told CNSNews.com.

Calls to the U.S. Navy regarding the concerns about the dolphins were not returned.

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[Tamzee]

Have a good friend who trained dolphins for years. They love interaction with people and are eager to take part in training "fun".

BTW, I think we used the wrong approach to try to convince these lunatics about Saddam's butchery. Instead of discussing the people he hung on meat hooks for torture, we should have lied and said they were actually rabbits. PETA would have signed onto the war immediately.

[grumple]

"bu-huh!! A personal attack never fed a starving child" to paraphrash Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton also avoided war...

Dolphins "did not volunteer for war' - any peace activist

many peace activists avoid war...

...dolphins are helping to liberate Iraq and feed starving children...

...and that's my comparison. It's a shame when I respect a dolphin over a human being.

Note to PETA: STFU!

[jriemer]

Poohbah,

I would think Greenpeace's special playlist of Ethel Merman and Broadway show tunes would be enough to drive any dolphin swimming away at high speed...

jriemer

[Night Hides Not]

Wow, I'm impressed!!! The last dolphin I talked to was not nearly as articulate. All he could say was:

ACKACK...ACKACKACKACK...ACK...ACKACKACKACKACK, while moving his head up and down rapidly.

I think he was begging for more fish...

[legman]

Wow, I'm impressed!!! The last dolphin I talked to was not nearly as articulate.

I was impressed, too. I am now convinced dolphins are more intellegent than 28% of Americans who respond to polsters regarding the war.

[af_vet_rr]

The Navy has been using these since Vietnam. I'm not sure how long peta has been around, but the fact that they waited until now to say anything is a bit odd if you ask me.

[Conspiracy Guy]

It is often necessary for someone to be irrelevent. We can't rely solely on the UN, the French, the Germans, the Canadians, the Mexicans, and the Russians to fill that role. Thank God PETA is there to take up the slack.

[OperationFreedom]

I'd like to shove a dolphin up their you-know-what.

[LRS]

"They are certainly not disclosing to us how they are training these animals," she added

HA! HA! HA! SHAME on us for not "disclosing" things to your arrogant @ss!!!

[Zon]

Dolphins have a four-decades-long history of assisting the U.S. Navy.

"[Dolphins] are not a good choice for the military, it's just ridiculous, and for them to try to convince the American public otherwise is abominable," she said.

So I guess the military has just been using dolphins for four decades because it's fun to watch dolphins. A delusional Stephanie Boyles "advertises" herself well.

[Tailgunner Joe]

bump

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Grampa Dave]

Since the Dolphins are smarter than humans, if they didn't like what they are doing.

They would swim away!

[EternalVigilance]

A Fateful Choice

God brought the critters by
And Adam gave them each a name
At that point in Eden
They all were very tame

He liked them all just fine
They really were quite grand
Hippopotamus and tortoise
And chipmunks in his hand

God watched him very closely
To see if those He'd formed
Would be the right companion
That a man could not ignore

You all know the story
How God had more to give
He did a little surgery
Built Eve from his own rib

But what was never written
Before the work of the deceiver
Was that Adam very nearly
Chose a Labrador Retreiver

EV

[BossLady]

That's what I was thinking!!! Dolphins are extremely intelligent mammals and I for one, am proud to have them as a part of the team!!

Now, what seems not so nice to me is having dolphins pent up in tanks for people to watch....why isn't PETA taking a stand against captivity of these beauties??? Just another hypocratic organization....

[countrydummy]

I do believe you hit the nail on the head with that comment! They are jealous!

[Joe Brower]

HEY, PETA!

[rogers21774]

i thought the liberals were in favor of the draft.

[Carry_Okie]

PETA shows its communist roots.

[TonyWojo]

Let's send lawyers they don't have any endearing traits and we have many to spare.

Would you trust a lawyer about the location of mines?