Ontario Animal Welfare Services Breaks Silence on Marineland Investigation

After years of criticism, the agency commits to greater transparency in its probe of animal treatment at the Niagara Falls park.

Ontario's Animal Welfare Services issued its first public statement since its 2020 launch, responding to calls for transparency from media, advocacy groups, and politicians.
The agency has conducted over 200 inspections at Marineland since 2020, where 17 beluga whales have died since late 2019, including five in the past year.
Chief Animal Welfare Inspector Melanie Milczynski denied water quality issues were linked to the marine mammal deaths, despite earlier provincial findings of distress among the animals due to poor water conditions.
Marineland was fined $85,000 earlier this year after being found guilty of animal cruelty for keeping three black bears in inadequate living conditions.
The agency plans to release more public updates on high-profile cases and investigations moving forward, marking a shift from its historically secretive operations.