ANTIBES, FRANCE, February 2, 2018 — Marineland, one of the most visited zoological institutions in France, has earned certification for the welfare and humane treatment of its animals from the international American Humane Conservation program. Marineland passed rigorous and lengthy third-party audits to join only two other institutions in Europe in earning the certification.
The American Humane Conservation program is the first certification program solely devoted to helping verify the welfare, well-being and demonstrably humane treatment of animals living in zoos, aquariums, and conservation centers across the globe. The program enforces rigorous, science-based and comprehensive criteria for animal welfare, developed by an independent Scientific Advisory Committee comprised of world-renowned leaders in the fields of animal science, animal behavior, and animal ethics.
“The public is rightly demanding that animals in human care are receiving objectively and verifiably good treatment in conditions that meet scientifically based welfare criteria,” said Dr. Kwane Stewart, chief veterinary officer for the American Humane Conservation program. “We commend Marineland for voluntarily opening their doors and undergoing exhaustive examinations including in-depth comprehensive assessments of actual animal welfare conditions and practices for the thousands of animals in their care. As a result of meeting the many outcomes-based welfare requirements involved by the program, Marineland is joining a select group of only three European institutions to qualify for this certification.”
“Marineland is fully committed to the application of the highest standards of animal welfare, education and conservation,” said Pascal Picot, General Director of Marineland, “This is what our visitors learn from each experience at Marineland. This certification also recognizes our commitment to raising awareness among the general public. All our employees are proud of this certificate, which rewards their dedication to our residents.”
The American Humane Conservation program’s extensive criteria exhaustively verify the many dimensions of animal welfare and well-being, with areas of evaluation including: excellent health and housing; positive social interactions within groups of animals, as well as between animals and handlers; safe and stimulating environments, with concern for factors such as appropriate lighting, sound levels, air quality, and
thermoregulation; and evidence of thorough preparation and protocols established to prevent and manage medical or operational emergencies.
For added rigor, Marineland’s compliance with American Humane Conservation standards was verified through an independent audit.
“We believe all animals, including those being cared for in our zoos, aquariums, and conservation parks, are entitled to humane treatment,” said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane. “This new program helps ensure the welfare of millions of animals and we think that it is a good thing that more and more zoological institutions are allowing independent humane groups to scrutinize their operations and verify with objective measures the level of care they are provided. This is good for the public, necessary for the organization being audited so they can demonstrate their commitment to proper welfare or raise their standards if they fall short, and most of all, good for the remarkable and endangered creatures we all want to preserve.”
You can read more about the American Humane Conservation program here: http://humaneconservation.org/
About American Humane
Founded in 1877, American Humane is the United States’ first national humane organization. For more information about American Humane, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org.
