Honey the lonely dolphin, abandoned in aquarium, sparks public outcry

Let Honey go back into the wild. (The penguins will probably escape. I've seen it in the movies.)

Initially should have left the poor soul in its natural environment.Let live a natural life.

Animal cruelty, you would think as the last act of the park they would relocate the animals. The owners should be up on charges!

Returning Honey to Taiji! Now that is a thought.

Imagine the anime they could make about that. The premise reminds me of Hotaru no haka (Grave of the Fireflies 1988).

Animal welfare isn't at the top of Japan's priority list. A visit to any zoo or "animal cafe" will prove that.

This is just plain disgusting.

one of the myths of japan is the "japanese love of nature."

Funny how these people don't care so much about the animals once there's no more profit.

One more reason I don't go to aquariums or zoos anymore. Wild animals belong in the wild, not cages.

Let Honey go back into the wild. (The penguins will probably escape. I've seen it in the movies.)

The movies may show whatever they want to. But animals raised in/ kept for a long time in captivity don't often adapt to the wild. Read the case of Keiko the Orca( Free Willy) ... never integrated into any pod and died an year or so after release when he was 27.

The solution is to find them a new captive home, however sad it may seem.

This is sooooooo sad. At least treat the animals and do the right thing before closing facilities like this, or re-home them some how???? I hate seeing wild animals locked up in cages. In this case tanks.........

Japanese zoos and aquariums are disgusting and depressing places.

Figures, I just read their wikipedia and they never signed up to JAZA (animal welfare association) either. So that is red flag. Not sure how they were allowed to operate. Cant find anything on the owner or company that runs it unfortunately.

That is outrageous, glad that it is getting some attention.

Absolutely shameful. The cruelty of humans never ceases to amaze.

Japan scores a poor 'D' (ratings from A-G) with the World Animal Protection Organization. Same as the USA actually, but far below most European nations.

http://api.worldanimalprotection.org/country/japan

Japan may profess to love animals, but they still seem to think that they here are to serve greedy humans.

Typical for Japan, Honey can join the long list of mistreated animals like Hanako the elephant or the poor innocent animals in those awful cafes who are left to live and die a horrible existence.

As sad as it is to say, they should just shoot her and put her out of her misery. It's highly unlikely she would survive being set free after so long in a small tank alone. It's also unlikely another aquarium will take her because nearly all oceanariums in Japan are suffering financial stress. Dolphins are sentient and social animals. Leaving this poor dolphin alone in a small tank is nothing short of torture. Please put her out of her misery.

Send Honey back home to Taiji.  Send the penguins to Madagascar.....

Swam with dolphins and penguins wish I didn’t read this.

I doubt Taiji was ever "Honey"'s home. She was just passing by, like the rest of her pod, when the clanging started and her free life ended and her family died. Now what, Japan?

Dissillusioned, I prefer not shooting her and give her a better home instead... you on the other hand...

Tried to contact (phone) to adopt a penguin, but no reply. I hope they are OK. Any extra info for contact appreciated

I REALLY hate "zoo's & petshops" here, far far too many are filthy, horrible sights of animal cruelty

Why the hell cant authorities do ANYTHING in this country, labour issues, animal cruelty etc etc & they don't do anything to fix problems, see these same results for almost 3decades non-stop, totally senseless!

This is an animal prison. Let them all go and if they live then they live but if they die at least they die free

I think the owners should be exhibited to marine wildlife in a glass sub.

@Goodlucktoyou - Swam with dolphins and penguins wish I didn’t read this.

This is the biggest problem. I refuse to go any oceanarium that houses marine mammals.

I REALLY hate "zoo's & petshops" here, far far too many are filthy, horrible sights of animal cruelty

I only agree with pet shops part if you are talking about the ones that open late night within the city. Regular pet shops and zoos are comparable to other countries. Not why everyone is turning this into a Japan hates animals thing.

I tend to find most zoos depressing but the lack of love and respect for animals here (not all zoos!) is upsetting. Perhaps such places should be boycotted.

There must be "some kind" of government regulations to check on facilities that have live animals. Fine the owners and the government should make sure the animals are looked after.

There are some zoos that have very large enclosures that replicate the animals natural environment but none in Japan. And the animals are born into captivity not imprisoned from the wild. That's no excuse. As there is absolutely no excuse for abandoning any animal in a confined space. I see where disillusioned is coming from, sadly release probably would not work. After years of mental abuse and solitary confinement Honey is damaged and probably couldn't cope. Relocating her might work, but that's just a new box, continued torture for a mammal that has already endured too much.

Regular pet shops and zoos are comparable to other countries. Not why everyone is turning this into a Japan hates animals thing.

Dadude, Only a few zoo's/aquariums are decent there are far too many stupid little hell holes doted around the country pretending to be a zoo/aquarium.

I remember when up in Nasu, the wife see's a sign about a safari park.....next thing we are there & it was awful, I had to turn my head away from the animals I felt truly awful by the time I got out.

I find in the Far East & Asia animals are generally not thought of much by the masses, yeah sure a few care but overall it is just NOT on peoples radar in this part of the world, it IS getting better, but slowly.

There must be "some kind" of government regulations to check on facilities that have live animals. Fine the owners and the government should make sure the animals are looked after.

Runner3, there are but like I said the powers that be just don't get off their A$$ES & enforce anything, hell the Japanese people are treated like CRAP all day long & NOTHING!....…….Maybe the odd pitiful moral victory once in a blue moon, but nothing that will makes things better 99% of the time sadly

Vile behaviour... what on earth were the park owners thinking? They'd take care of themselves? Hateful and disgusting treatment of wild animals.

It's unfortunate the Inubosaki Marine Park Aquarium had to close in the aftermath of the 2011 disaster. Lack of paying visitors and diversion of government revenues to disaster recovery efforts, no doubt.

Funny how the bleeding heart animal advocates favour releasing them into the wilds, unwittingly sentencing them to a fate worse than captivity.  As Jijitsu pointed out, animals raised in or kept in captivity long time don't adapt or survive long in the wild. Sending an animal lacking the skills to hunt, defend itself and survive into the wilds is actually cruelty. Have they thought about that fate? I doubt it.

Priority should be to find another aquarium willing to accept them, rather than killing them. How about that Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa? Supposedly the second largest in the world. Surely they can accommodate.

Agree that Japanese government, going forward should have strict regulations in place for any company/municipalities wanting to open zoo and/or aquarium. They need treat them just like financial institutions. Entities must allocate certain amount of capital/reserve set aside to care for these animals apart from annual operating expenses. In other words, unless they pass basic "financial stress test", these entities should not be granted any license or certification to operate zoos/aquarium. This stress test must be passed every year if not every other year in order for them to keep operating. If they fail, entities must hand over animals to sanctuaries using their own reserve set aside. This will act as deterrent to any entities wishing to open zoo/aquarium to not take it's financial and moral obligation to living creatures lightly.

Honey is going nuts. If no one responsible is taking any calls then who will stop someone from rescuing Honey and the penguins?