The Court will decide whether the Miami Seaquarium should be evicted following Miami-Dade County's lawsuit against Dolphin Company, a Mexico-based company that owns the theme park.
The Miami-Dade administration filed an eviction lawsuit against the Miami Seaquarium for the company to vacate the public land on the city's waterfront.
The reasons for the eviction include allegations of animal abuse and deterioration of the facilities. The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in the Miami-Dade Circuit Court. It is the final step for a judge to decide whether the park should vacate that property.
Miami-Dade owns the 38 acres of land that the Seaquarium's parent company leases to the county. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's administration is focusing on alleged operational failures and questions about the care of dolphins, penguins, sea lions, and other species in the theme park.
The lawyers from Dolphin Company reject the county's accusations, claiming they are based on "incorrect facts". These arguments were detailed in a lawsuit filed against Miami-Dade in a federal court in April, seeking to halt the eviction process.
Tuesday's lawsuit is based on critical inspection reports from the federal Department of Agriculture, responsible for regulating the care of animals in captivity for entertainment purposes.
In addition, Seaquarium is accused of not carrying out the necessary repairs in the county-owned facilities, inherited two years ago from the previous operator.
Dolphin Company argues that they are unfairly blamed for the lack of maintenance that was not carried out for years before the change of ownership.
In a joint statement with Commissioner Raquel Regalado, Levine Cava ensured that the county is prioritizing the safety of the animals in this dispute with the facility.
"Our top priority has always been to ensure the safety and well-being of the hundreds of animals under the care of the Seaquarium, and it is essential that we proceed in a way that best protects them," he stated.
In October 2023, a routine inspection by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed concerning animal mistreatment conditions at Seaquarium.
The inspection identified cases of negligence among those who reported animals with health problems not treated properly.
The situation worsened with the death of the orca Lolita in August 2023. The cause of death was related to the conditions in the aquarium.
In response to the legal actions and criticism, Dolphin Company described the county's lawsuit as "unfounded and politically motivated." The company ensures that they are working to address USDA's concerns and improve the conditions of the animals under their care.
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