Very sad story out of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, their animal ambassador Pinky has died after a vicious attack by a park-goer. Please see the press release below from SeaWorld.
HSUS and SeaWorld condemn attack on flamingo at Busch Gardens
Organizations urge prosecution and the exercise of state felony provisions in anti-cruelty law
SeaWorld, the owner of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and The Humane Society of the United States strongly condemn the cruel attack on a flamingo named Pinky at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, and will urge authorities to pursue the case with vigor. An Orlando man was arrested for picking up and throwing Pinky to the ground, and the flamingo was so badly injured that she had to be euthanized.
“SeaWorld will strongly urge prosecution in this case, and for any person who engages in this sort of cruel behavior towards animals,” said Joel Manby, president and CEO of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. “Pinky was a beloved member of the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay family, and she will be sorely missed. Our Ambassador team members are appalled by this incident, and I am sure they share my view that our state must have a zero-tolerance policy for this kind of cruelty.”
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS, added: “People who abuse animals often don’t stop there, and pose a violent risk to the rest of society. That’s why we’ve worked to fortify the legal framework across the country to punish malicious animal cruelty as a serious offense.”
About SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment™ is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The company is one of the world’s foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned – more than 28,000 over the last 50 years – with the goal of returning them to the wild. SeaWorldCares.com
The company owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens® and Sea Rescue®, and has 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company.
About The Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated most effective by our peers. For 60 years, we have celebrated the protection of all animals and confronted all forms of cruelty. We are the nation’s largest provider of hands-on services for animals, caring for more than 100,000 animals each year, and we prevent cruelty to millions more through our advocacy campaigns. Read more about our 60 years of transformational change for animals and people. HumaneSociety.org