Marineland says OSPCA is ‘bowing to pressure’ from animal rights group

Marineland says the animal cruelty charges laid against the park last week are the result of the OSPCA “bowing to pressure” from a Los Angeles animal rights group.

The Niagara Falls theme park released a statement saying that a recent inspection of it’s facilities was prompted by allegations and pressure from the California organization, Last Chance for Animals.

They allege the group is working with a fired Marineland employee who is “seeking revenge” for his dismissal.

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals laid five charges against the park including one count of permitting a peacock to be in distress, one count of failing to comply with the prescribed standards of care for a peacock, two counts of failing to comply with the prescribed standards of care for guinea hens and one count of failing to provide adequate and appropriate food and water for approximately 35 American black bears.

The park outlined the basis of the allegations of abuse saying, “some edible produce stickers have accidentally been left on the fresh fruit and vegetables provided to our bears, that our guinea fowl pens were too small, and there was a benign growth over the eye of the peacock.” They say all of those issues have been corrected and the animals are now thriving.

Marineland claims the OSPCA released more information about the charges to the media in a press release than to the park itself and calls the society “a scared regulator, with a track record of bowing to pressure.”

The OSPCA says it did not remove any animals after the charges were laid but said they will continue to make sure the animals receive the care they require while their investigation continues.