D.A.W.G for Dolphin Gets Recognition
NEIRAD enilno edition
Load printer friendly version Many students consider themselves fortunate to have had the experience of swimming with dolphins in the ocean on tropical vacations. But what many don’t know are the effects living in captivity has on these dolphins, or the plight dolphins are facing across the world. A dolphin in captivity only lives for about two years, a dramatic decrease in life expectancy of 40-50 years of dolphins who remain in their natural habitat. Not only are dolphins suffering in captivity, but they are being slaughtered in places such as Japan.
A small group of Japanese fisherman is slaughtering dolphins, as they consider them pests. They are also profiting by selling the dolphin meat to unsuspecting Japanese customers who aren’t aware of the high mercury content. The Darien Animal Welfare Group, or DAWG, is working to play their part in saving these suffering creatures.
DAWG is a club that was founded in 2007 by junior Samantha Wood with the goal of starting an organization to help animals everywhere. “Our mission is to help out as many animals in the Darien Community and beyond,” fellow club member junior Alex Iqbal said. “We try to promote awareness of different animal abuses that happen throughout the world,” she added.They have held bake sales and other fundraisers in order to raise money for various animal causes, the most recent one being a project to save dolphins in Japan. Their hard efforts have been recognized by an international campaign.
“It is a total honor for DAWG to be recognized in an international news letter. It gave us the feeling that what we're doing is actually making a difference and people are noticing our hard work,” junior member of DAWG Lauren Littell said. “Save Dolphins in Japan is an awesome organization, and we are so grateful to be able to help out this cause,” Littell added.
Save Japan Dolphins.org campaign director, Ric O’Barry, was the dolphin trainer for the hit TV show “Flipper” O’Barry feels responsible in part for the resultant slaughter and enslavement of thousands of dolphins each year.
O’Barry is excited DAWG is the first student organization to officially sign on to help. He wrote of DAWG’s recent bake sale success in a newsletter that is sent out to more than one million people. O’Barry reported the group’s donation of $309.00 and stated that the group is helping to, “educate and mobilize high school students across the country for the dolphins.” He also said, “This is the kind of grassroots dedication that is dearest to my heart,” O’Barry wrote.
The Save Japan Dolphins Coalition was started by O’Barry in 2003 and has been extremely successful in raising money and awareness. O’Barry stated in his first newsletter that his goal was to, “Save dolphins and abolish the billion-dollar dolphin slave trade.” DAWG has made the effort to play in important role in this cause.
DAWG will be holding an upcoming fundraiser in which they will have a screening of the movie “The Cove”, a documentary about the plight of dolphins in Japan and the massacre in which they are subject. Food and refreshments will be sold and all proceeds will go to the Cove foundation. “We are branching out beyond the Darien community to help animals in a different part of the world,” Iqbal said.
Not only does DAWG work to save animals around the world, but they also strive to aide homeless animals in the local area. For a third straight year they have had two successful Pet Food Drives in November and December to encourage people to donate any kind of pet food.
Chemistry teacher Pamela Zago plays an important role in the club and she explains her involvement. “I think it’s important for students to share in passions that teachers might have,” Ms. Zago said. “I’m a huge animal lover.” Ms. Zago feels that because animals don’t have a voice of their own, they should be represented through groups such has DAWG. Her goal by working with the group is to raise awareness as to the suffering, mistreatment, and abandonment of many animals.
If you would like to make an effort to stop animal cruelty, DAWG is the answer. The next meeting will be on Thursday, December 3rd. For more information on how you can get involved in dolphin campaign, contact Samantha Wood swood@darienps.org or Lauren Littell llittell@darienps.org.
