She was kidnapped 40 years ago, many of her family members slain. Set her free.

FROM: SaveLolita.org

Please read about Lolita and send two sample letters to the associated addresses.
Thank you.

The BP oil gusher is projected to hit Miami and toxify the water in Lolita’s tank in mid-August, please read HERE

Lolita’s Capture is detailed HERE

Her life today is detailed HERE

First letter and addresses generously provided by SaveLolita.com

FIRST LETTER

SUBJECT: RETIRE LOLITA TO A SEAPEN

WHERE TO SEND SAMPLE LETTER ONE

Email group, copy/paste into your TO, hit one carriage return; complete address, phone, and fax details at the end of this alert (FYI, mannydiaz@miamigov.com is being returned as full, but please resend if possible):

ace@aphis.usda.gov
aphis.web@aphis.usda.gov
awic@nal.usda.gov
cyber.fish@noaa.gov
mannydiaz@ci.miami.fl.us
agsec@usda.gov
info@keybiscaynechamber.org
Charlie.crist@myflorida.com
rvillar@miamidade.gov

SAMPLE LETTER ONE
To Whom It Concerns,

I know that, as a part of APHIS at The United States Department of Agriculture, you are concerned with the future of marine mammals in captivity and the situation at the Miami Seaquarium.

I would like to voice my concerns in uniformity with professionals about the life of a captive Orca named Lolita at the Miami Seaquarium. It causes me deep heartache seeing Lolita in her small tank at the Miami Seaquarium. Her tank is illegal by section 3.104 of APHIS regulations, entitled space requirements for an Orca.

Lolita would not just survive, but thrive in a sea pen in her native waters, and ultimately she could rejoin her family, effectively forage cooperatively for fish once again, and resume her normal social role and biological functions after full release if she chooses to do so. If that proves impossible, she could live out a healthy life, retired in her native habitat, cared for in a sea pen while accessible to the orca community that she is related to. As described at length in “A Review of the Releasability of Long Term Captive Orcas“, there is no significant risk involved in Lolita’s relocation to a protected sea pen in her native habitat. The State of Washington and its officials are willing and ready to get the wheels turning on this rehabilitation/retirement plan for Lolita. Please consider these possibilities.

For your information, please consider this detailed and compelling plan to free Lolita: http://www.orcanetwork.org/captivity/2007proposaldraft.html

Thank you for your time.

NAME
ADDRESS

SECOND LETTER

SUBJECT: RETIRE LOLITA TO A SEAPEN

WHERE TO SEND SAMPLE LETTER TWO

Email group, copy/paste into your TO, hit one carriage return, complete address, phone, and fax details at the end of this alert:

District1@miamidade.gov
District2@miamidade.gov
District3@miamidade.gov
District4@miamidade.gov
District5@miamidade.gov
District6@miamidade.gov
District7@miamidade.gov
District8@miamidade.gov
DennisMoss@miamidade.gov
District10@miamidade.gov
District11@miamidade.gov
District12@miamidade.gov

ALSO:
Miami Seaquarium Phone:
1-305-365-2501

Miami Seaquarium webform (fits all letter characters):
http://www.miamiseaquarium.com/contact/contact.asp

SAMPLE LETTER TWO:
To Whom It Concerns,

I am writing today to encourage Miami Seaquarium to relinquish Lolita to a seapen for rehabilitation so that she may then rejoin her pod family in Puget Sound. For almost her entire life, Lolita has been imprisoned by the Miami Seaquarium, forced to endure inadequate space, inferior medical treatment and care, lack of companionship, involuntary training, and made to perform tricks for largely-apathetic audiences. Since her capture, occurring in 1970 after the vicious slaughter of many of her pod mates, individuals comprising a large global audience concerned with Lolita have been encouraging Miami Seaquarium to relinquish her to freedom; sadly, corporate greed and indifference have resulted in Lolita’s deteriorating mental and physical state and her continued imprisonment. By refusing to release her to her family pod, Miami Seaquarium is establishing its approval of animal cruelty, and I am appalled to learn of the deliberate involvement in the exploitation of animals.

Although there are those who may assert that humane protocols must be followed in accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act standards, the visual evidence validates the position that these directives are often ignored in favor of park management; nevertheless, establishing a threshold of humane treatment is ambiguous at best, these standards being implemented by those with questionable interests, its oversight managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service as part of the Department of Commerce. As such, it is important to recognize that all animals, fundamentally valuable beyond monetary benefit, are being exploited in demonstrably cruel and unnecessary manners. Additionally, Lolita still displays behaviours typical of those characteristic of calling to pod members (www.miamiseaprison.com) while other animals continually languish as well.

I hope the compassionate decision to discontinue the imprisonment of Lolita and relinquish her to a qualified seapen so that she may subsequently join her family pod in Puget Sound is exercised. However, as long as Miami Seaquarium continues to unnecessarily capitalize on the exploitation, imprisonment, and maltreatment of her, I will not financially support you. It is important to recognize that consumers are increasingly rejecting those businesses and destinations that are complicit in the suffering and unnecessary treatment of animals by shifting their loyalties to those companies that do not participate in the exploitation of them, and I hope that you will extend such an ethical and empathetic gesture as well.

I understand your time is limited and I thank you for your attention and consideration.

NAME
ADDRESS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Save Lolita – The Plan

COMPLETE ADDRESS DETAILS INCLUDING POSTAL, TELEPHONE, FAX

From SaveLolita.com: Here is a list of people that you can write letters to for Lolita. Tell them that her tank is illegal in size by USDA/APHIS standards and that you support her retirement. If you have any questions or need sample letters, please contact me and let me know.

APHIS – This is who makes the rules for captive marine mammals and who set the rule that her tank must be at least 48 feet across (Lolita’s tank at the Miami Seaquarium is only 35 feet across). Tell APHIS to enforce their own law!

–USDA APHIS Animal Care: ace@aphis.usda.gov
USDA/APHIS/AC
4700 River Road, Unit 84
Riverdale, MD 20737-1234
Ph: 301-734-7833
Fax: 301-734-4978

–USDA APHIS Policy and Program: aphis.web@aphis.usda.gov
Office of deputy administrator: 301-734-5136

–Animal Welfare Information Center: awic@nal.usda.gov
10301 Baltimore Ave.
Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
Ph: 301-504-6212
Fax: 301-504-7125

-National Marine Fisheries Services: cyber.fish@noaa.gov
NOAA Fisheries Service
1315 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Steve Meyers ext. 174
Brian Hooker ext. 173

-NOAA
1401 Constitution Ave, NW
Room 6217
Washington, DC 20230
Ph: 202-482-6090
Fax: 202-482-3154

-Mayor of Miami: mannydiaz@ci.miami.fl.us
Mayor Manuel A. Diaz
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
Office (305)250-5300
Fax (305)854-4001

-Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs
Robert Villar: rvillar@miamidade.gov
Stephen P. Clark Center
111 NW 1st St, 29th floor
Miami, FL 33128

-Governor of Florida
Charlie Crist: Charlie.crist@myflorida.com
Office of the Governor Charlie Crist
State of Florida
The capitol
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Ph: 850-488-4441

-USDA: APHIS is run under the USDA. Tell the USDA to make APHIS enforce it’s own laws on space requirements of Lolita’s tank.
Secretary Ed Schafer: agsec@usda.gov
Room 200-A Whitten Building
USDA
14th and Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20250
Ph: 202-720-2791
Fax: 202-720-2166

-Cindy Smith: aphis.web@aphis.usda.gov
Acting Administrator APHIS
USDA
4700 River Road, Unit 97
Riverdale, MD 20737-1234

-Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce: info@keybiscaynechamber.org
88 West Mcintyre Street 100
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
Ph: 305-361-5207

-Florida Senator Bill Nelson
United States Senate
716 Senate Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Ph: 202-224-5274

-Miami Seaquarium
4400 Rickenbacker Causeway
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
Ph: 305-361-5705

-Arthur Hertz (owner of Seaquarium)
610 Fluvia Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Ph: 305-448-8525

-Wometco Enterprises Inc. (Aurthur Hertz’ company that includes the Seaquarium)
3195 Ponce Deleon Blvd.
Coral Gables, FL 33134
P.O. Box 141609
Ph: 305-529-1400
Fax: 305-529-1466

-Donna Darm
Assistant Regional Administrator
Protected Resources Division
Nation Marine Fisheries Service
525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500
Portland, OR 97232
OR
7600 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, Washington 98115

-Carnival Cruises: Carnival Cruises proudly supports the Seaquarium and offers it as an excursion when it is in port. Tell them you will not support them until they stop supporting the Miami Seaquarium.
Mickey Arison (CEO)
3655 NW 87th Ave.
Miami, Florida 33178
Ph: 305-599-2600
Fax: 305-406-470

Miami Dade:
Board of County Commissioners
111 N.W. First Street, Suites 220 & 320
Miami, Florida 33128
(305) 375-5124
(305) 375-5569 (2nd Floor Fax – Districts 1-8)
(305) 375-4838 (3rd Floor Fax – Districts 9-13)

District One – Barbara Jordan
(305) 375-5694 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6028 Downtown Fax
Email: District1@miamidade.gov
District Office: 2780 N.W. 167th Street
Miami Gardens, Florida 33054
(305) 474-3011 (Phone)
(305) 474-3066 (Fax)

District Two – Dorrin Rolle
(305) 375-4833 Downtown Office
(305) 375-4843 Downtown Fax
Email: District2@miamidade.gov
District Office: City of North Miami
900 N.E. 125th Street, Suite 100
Miami, Florida 33161
(305) 694-2779 (Phone)
(305) 694-2781 (Fax)

District Three – Audrey Edmonson
(305) 375-5393 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6104 Downtown Fax
Email: District3@miamidade.gov
District Office: Caleb Center
5400 N.W. 22nd Avenue, Suite 704
Miami, Florida 33142
(305) 636-2331 (Phone)
(305) 638-6906 (Fax)

District Four – Sally Heyman
(305) 375-5128 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6179 Downtown Fax
Email: District4@miamidade.gov
District Office: 1100 N.E. 163rd Street, #303
North Miami, Florida 33162
(305) 787-5999 (Phone)
(305) 787-5998 (Fax)

District Five – Bruno A. Barreiro
(305) 375-5924 Downtown Office
(305) 375-5904 Downtown Fax
Email: District5@miamidade.gov
Main Office Miami Beach Office
1454 S.W. 1st Street, Ste 130 1700 Convention Ctr., Dr., 1st Floor
Miami, Florida 33135 Miami Beach, Florida 33139
(305) 643-8525 (Phone) (305) 673-7743 (Phone)
(305) 643-8528 (Fax) (305) 673-7747 (Fax)

District Six – Rebeca Sosa
(305) 375-5696 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6090 Downtown Fax
Email: District6@miamidade.gov
District Office: 1000 S.W. 57th Avenue, Suite 201
Miami, Florida 33144
(305) 267-6377 (Phone)
(305) 267-6366 (Fax)

District Seven – Carlos Gimenez
(305) 375-5680 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6103 Downtown Fax
Email: District7@miamidade.gov
District Office Frankie Rolle Center
6330 Manor Lane, Suite 100 3750 S. Dixie Highway
Miami, Florida 33143 Miami, Florida 33133
(305) 669-4003 (Phone) (305) 446-3311 (Phone)
(305) 669-4044 (Fax) (305) 569-7672 (Fax)

District Eight – Katy Sorenson
(305) 375-5218 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6073 Downtown Fax
Email: District8@miamidade.gov
District Office: South Dade Government Center
10710 S.W. 211th Street, Suite 204
Miami, Florida 33189
(305) 378-6677 (Phone)
(305) 253-7495 (Fax)

District Nine – Dennis C. Moss- Chairman
(305) 375-4832 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6011 Downtown Fax
Email: DennisMoss@miamidade.gov
South Dade Government Center Florida City Office
10710 S.W. 211th Street, Suite 206 1634 NW 6th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33189 Florida City, Florida 33034
(305) 234-4938 (Phone) (305) 245-4420 (Phone)
(305) 232-2892 (Fax) (305) 245-5008 (Fax)

District Ten – Javier Souto
(305) 375-4835 Downtown Office
(305) 375-4838 Downtown Fax
Email: District10@miamidade.gov
District Office: 9766 Coral Way, Suite One
Miami, Florida 33165
(305) 222-2116 (Phone)
(305) 222-2120 (Fax)

District Eleven – Joe Martinez
(305) 375-5511 Downtown Office
(305) 375-5883 Downtown Fax
Email: District11@miamidade.gov
District Office: 1401 S.W. 107th Avenue, Suite 301M
Miami, Florida 33174
(305) 552-1155 (Phone)
(305) 552-0577 (Fax)

District Twelve – Jose “Pepe” Diaz – Vice Chairman
(305) 375-4343 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6109 Downtown Fax
Email: District12@miamidade.gov
District Office: 8345 N.W. 12th Street
Miami, Florida 33126
(305) 599-1200 (Phone)
(305) 470-1791 (Fax)

District Thirteen – Natacha Seijas
(305) 375-4831 (Downtown Office)
(305) 375-4838 (Downtown Fax)

Office of Commission Auditor/Legislative Analysts
(305) 375-4354 (Phone)
(305) 679-7990 (Fax)

Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
(305) 375-5600 (Phone)
(305) 375-5639 (Fax)

Protocol & Employee Recognition
(305) 375-3611 (Phone)
(305) 372-6029 (Fax)

Office of the Mayor – Carlos Alvarez
(305) 375-5071 (Phone)
(305) 375-3618 (Fax)

County Manager – George Burgess
(305) 375-5311 (Phone)
(305) 375-1262 (Fax)

EMAILS:
District1@miamidade.gov
District2@miamidade.gov
District3@miamidade.gov
District4@miamidade.gov
District5@miamidade.gov
District6@miamidade.gov
District7@miamidade.gov
District8@miamidade.gov
DennisMoss@miamidade.gov
District10@miamidade.gov
District11@miamidade.gov
District12@miamidade.gov