Stephen King wrote in “Pet Sematary,” “Sometimes dead is better.” I agree. We are witnessing the funeral of the failed experiment known as dolphin captivity. After five dolphins died in eight months, Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach shut down for good on May 28. Four rough-toothed dolphins were relocated to the Clearwater Aquarium and the remaining seven bottlenose dolphins were shuffled to other deplorable roadside attractions owned by the same company that killed them.

The director in charge of the bankruptcy, Steven Strom, stated in an April filing: “An industry veteran who obtained information via a Freedom of Information Act request to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Association (sic) opined that the death may be attributable to several factors ‘including the poor visibility due to the filthy water, the nearby construction, an illness, or being malnourished.’ Investigators from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were subsequently denied entry to… the dolphins at the park. Moreover, on March 28, a search warrant was served on the Gulf World Marine Park due to animal abuse concerns.”

I’m the industry veteran Strom quotes. Despite the dire situation at Gulf World, the animals remained there for another two months. Since Strom used my words to gain access to funds, let me explain just how urgently the animals still need to be relocated to clean and safe environments.

On Sept. 17, the latest casualty was Bimini — a 26-year-old dolphin at the Miami Seaquarium who suffered from chronic respiratory disease. Bimini lived with dolphins who repeatedly attacked her, resulting in multiple rib fractures. USDA inspectors found a broken bolt in her mouth in October 2023, and she was slated for confiscation in January 2024 due to inadequate veterinary care. Now she’s dead.

In bankruptcy, the animals are considered “assets” or, in this case, collateral —they face immediate and irreparable harm as the debtors continuously fail to provide adequate care. Intervention by the bankruptcy court is urgent to prevent further deterioration of the animals’ condition. I imagine the creditors in this bankruptcy want their “assets” alive rather than in desperate need of veterinary care or dead.

Minimum standards under federal law, like clean water, safe environments, trained employees and adequate veterinary care are not met. Federal agencies including the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), have utterly failed these animals. While bankruptcy has put The Dolphin Company out of business, it has actually made the abuse much worse.

After Jett’s death at Gulf World and subsequent raid by state and federal authorities, The Dolphin Company avoided confiscation once again by filing for bankruptcy in the U.S. — triggering an automatic stay.

It took a fifth dolphin to die at Gulf World in less than eight months before animals were finally relocated. On May 27, Samira, a nine-year-old bottlenose dolphin, died from ingesting concrete from her tank. The USDA had documented broken cement fragments during five separate inspections between October 2024 and June 2025.

Sometimes dead is better than being forcefully shuffled between deplorable facilities only to suffer further abuse and neglect.

Five dead dolphins in less than eight months makes Gulf World one of the deadliest facilities for dolphins in the U.S. Despite being under criminal investigation, The Dolphin Company is still entrusted to care for the very animals they abused with even less scrutiny, as the parks are sold to the highest bidders and locations close.

It’s not too late for the remaining animals at U.S. parks owned by The Dolphin Company to be relocated to independent facilities until the conclusion of the criminal investigation and bankruptcy. They can’t be freed because they lack the skills necessary to survive. Sanctuaries simply don’t exist.

The experiment known as dolphin captivity may be dead, but the animals can’t be left to die with it. We need to plan for the animals’ futures so that they can survive long enough to be placed in humane, radically reimagined habitats where they can retire with dignity. If we keep going on as we are, animals will continue to die agonizing deaths that would make the king of horror himself, Stephen King, shudder.

Valerie Greene is a former SeaWorld Orlando animal trainer and a Barry University’s Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law graduate.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/31/commentary-end-dolphin-captivity-and-save-the-survivors/