Concert for the World's Saddest Dolpins 28/8 Hong Lim Park

Leogirldreamer SG

Dear ACRES supporter,

Resorts World, Sentosa continues to turn a deaf ear to the pleas of Singaporeans and international organisations to do the right thing and release the 25 wild dolphins.

So we think it’s time all the animal lovers—indeed, everyone who believes in fair play—came together and spoke as one.

We are hosting a concert in the park to raise awareness, to make ourselves heard and most importantly, to show our solidarity with the dolphins.

Several prominent bands and musicians, including Jack and Rai, Sixx, D’Fusion, Zal Empty, Alicia Pan and Michaela Therease are donating their precious time and talent for the dolphins’ benefit.

We need you there too.

We will gather together to form the shape of a giant leaping dolphin for the cameras. And we will sing, ‘Please let the dolphins go’, together, in one loud voice.

So, dear animal lover, please join us there on Sunday, 28th August at 4.30 pm.

And bring as many of your family and friends as you can. There will be music, food, drinks and fun. You can even make a picnic of it.

The more of us there are, the bigger that dolphin on the ground, the stronger our voice, and the louder the signal we can send.

We must not let RWS, or any corporation in the future, get the idea that they can simply get away with abduction and exploitation of wild animals for profit.

Sunday, 28 August 2011 4:30pm at Hong Lim Park (Speaker’s Corner), Exit A of Clarke Quay MRT The event is free of charge.

Please wear our black campaign T-shirt, which explicitly states: “Resorts World, please let the dolphins go”. You can pick one up at the concert for $20. We understand that not everyone can buy a T-shirt, so in this case just wear a black top!

We hope to see you there.

Leogirldreamer SG

The campaign pivoted on the release of an undercover video of the remaining 25 dolphins (two have died in captivity) in Ocean Adventure marine park in Subic Bay, the Philippines. The filming was not without its challenges. “The main obstacle was getting caught doing it undercover but we managed to view the dolphins and successfully completed the investigations,” said Ng.

The campaign goes beyond highlighting the plight of the dolphins in captivity, being trained and prepped for their eventual life at RWS. ACRES’s efforts are backed by a detailed report that outlines the errors and pitfalls of keeping wide-ranging wild animals in captivity, including the dangers associated with transmitting diseases to humans. It is not just an animal rights and environmental issue.

The main campaign music video features children and members of the public urging RWS to free the dolphins. Local and foreign bands have produced different covers of the campaign song. “Using social media and by approaching this issue more creatively, we will be able to engage the public more effectively and reach out to a wider audience,” said Ng.

“ACRES hope that members of the public will join ACRES in our mission to end this injustice. They may not love animals but they should feel a sense of injustice happening at our doorstep. The dolphins have endured being removed from their homes in the Solomon Islands and stressful transportation. Some of the dolphins watched their family members die, were subjected to living in small, rusty enclosures and endured a year of training sessions. The only thing in store for all of them now is the final stressful transportation to Singapore to entertain RWS guests.”

AsiaOne reported that “RWS, which runs Singapore’s first casino as well as the adjacent Universal Studios theme park, had no immediate reaction, saying it was studying the campaign’s allegations in detals.

“ACRES hopes that RWS makes a moral decision and let the dolphins go. They believe strongly in CSR (corporate social responsibility) and marine protection and should walk the talk. They should note that even Chris Porter, who sold the wild-caught dolphins to RWS, called for RWS to ‘review its motivation for using these animals as a tourist draw’. He was concerned that ‘RWS is using the animals primarily to make money while telling the public that its aim is to educate the public on marine conservation.’”

Animals Concerns and Research & Education Society (ACRES),