MIAMI – Miami Seaquarium officials claim they have taken steps to improve the facility nearly one month after Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava served them a lease of termination notice.
In a letter addressed to Miami-Dade County Chief Operating Officer Jimmy L. Morales Thursday, Edwin Gonzalez, the executive director of the Dolphin Company, said they “are dedicated to swiftly addressing the concerns raised in your notice, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to upholding the standards and obligations set forth in our lease agreement.”
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According to Levine Cava, the termination letter resulted from “numerous and significant violations and defaults” at the Seaquarium.
The county’s action started after a Local 10 News report detailing disturbing findings at the marine park. In early November, the county had given the park 45 days to fix its problems.
Some of those findings included numerous facility failures and a dolphin with rib fractures while another had cement in its digestive tract.
Gonzalez stated that the United States Department of Agriculture “performed a routine inspection on March 19 and confirmed that all corrective action had been taken, including any action related to marine mammals.”
He also confirmed that Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department officials and Zoo Miami Chief Veterinarian Gwen Myers visited on March 27 for inspection and witnessed their corrective action plan “first-hand.”
Gonzalez concluded the letter by stating that the USDA is expected to release its final evaluation of the Seaquarium “shortly.”
Read the letter here: