TORONTO—Animal Justice is urgently calling on provincial and federal authorities to investigate after an employee whistleblower raised serious concerns about the condition of hundreds of deer still inside Marineland, sharing troubling photos which appear to show deer with signs of injury.
When the disgraced roadside zoo and aquarium closed to the public in 2024, more than 500 cervids, including red deer, fallow deer, and elk, were confined at Marineland.
The whistleblower told Animal Justice, Canada’s leading national animal law organization, that Marineland wants all the cervids gone by July 24, and more than 100 have been trucked off-site. The employee said many of the deer may have been sent directly to slaughterhouses.
The concerned employee has also disclosed details of inadequate living conditions at Marineland, including deer receiving poor veterinary treatment, suffering from lacerations from fences, and sustaining other injuries from fighting one another in cramped and stressful enclosures.
Photos provided to Animal Justice by the employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, appear to show facial lesions, apparent wounds near the antler base, and antlers that are misshapen and abnormal in appearance.
Additionally, the exotic animal business Marineland has reportedly turned to in order to transport large numbers of deer by truck has been previously linked to animal-related offences.
Based on this information, Animal Justice has formally requested that Animal Welfare Services and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency investigate.
“After decades of profiting off the backs of the animals confined in abysmal conditions, Marineland’s ‘fire-sale’ approach to clearing out these sensitive, living creatures is absolutely appalling,” said Kaitlyn Mitchell, lawyer and Animal Justice’s director of legal advocacy.
“Deer have strong ‘fight or flight’ instincts and are not trained or habituated to transport, making the process extremely risky. We are urging the CFIA to investigate and intervene if necessary to ensure no deer in compromised states are being illegally transported to slaughter.”
“Marineland sits on one of the most valuable stretches of real estate in Canada. They should be providing care for the animals they have chosen to accumulate over the years and looking for humane rehoming options,” Ms. Mitchell said.
“Whether by threatening to kill their 30 surviving beluga whales, or forcing deer to live in abysmal conditions before potentially being sent on a terrifying journey to a slaughterhouse, Marineland has totally squandered its one last chance to try and do right by the animals still trapped there.”
Marineland was charged with 6 counts of animal cruelty in 2017 related to its treatment of elk, red deer and fallow deer. However, the charges were controversially stayed.
It wasn’t until 2024 that Marineland was convicted for animal welfare offences: for failing to comply with orders to alleviate the distress of three young black bears.
Ontario is the only province in Canada that doesn’t license or regulate zoos.
High-resolution photos here.
Contact:
Josh Lynn
Public Relations Manager
[email protected]
Kaitlyn Mitchell
Director of Legal Advocacy
[email protected]