O’Barry, R. (2015). Marine Animal Exhibits: Chlorinated Prisons. Virginia: PETA.
Dolphin Trainer for the television series Flipper in the 1960’s, Ric O’Barry, states that parks and zoos “want you to think that God put [dolphins] there or [that] they rescued them… If people knew the truth, the wouldn’t buy a ticket.” Regardless of the information these zoos and aquariums lead with, the reality of the treatment their animals face would change many people’s perspective on this type of entertainment. He uses his knowledge and experience with marine life training and applies that opposing reality to the information the aquarium feeds to its visitors. The purpose of quoting him on this is to validate the questionable ideas of animal mistreatment in aquariums with the experiences of a long term dolphin trainer himself. The audience of this quote could be anyone who has watched the show Flipper and is curious about the background or anyone interested in the reality of confined animal treatment. It can be useful to these people because, especially with research into more quotes from O’Barry, it provides a personal examination of what really goes on inside of these aquariums and is easier for an audience to make a direct comparison of the two sides.