Girl Bitten by Dolphin at Sea World!

[Belle & Ariel]

Originally Posted by Escape Artist

I certainly hope it doesn't go that far. The child was in the wrong, but she is a child and it's human nature to do the wrong thing sometimes. That said, I hope Sea World doesn't end up paying off this family just to avoid or settle a law suit. They shouldn't have to pay for this - nor should all of us who would end up paying for it thru higher ticket prices.

If they do have to make changes, I hope it's something along the lines of:
- stop using those paper trays. Find some other way of distributing the fish that won't encourage the dolphins to lunge after them, or
- build a little ledge underneath the top of the wall around the dolphin pool. Make it very clear that the trays have to stay under the ledge.

Hopefully the little girl will heal up just fine, life with go on at Sea World as normal, and this won't happen again.

Sue in Texas

We know someone whose child slammed a door on a ride and broke a finger. Universal gave the family free passes for life with front of the line privileges. This doesn't really "cost" alot and saves expensive litigation and settlement.
The park wasn't really at fault--those doors are closed on thousands each day and this is not a common problem--but kept the peace. Same thing could easily happen with the dolphin situation at SW.

[mom of2]

Originally Posted by Escape Artist

I certainly hope it doesn't go that far. The child was in the wrong, but she is a child and it's human nature to do the wrong thing sometimes. That said, I hope Sea World doesn't end up paying off this family just to avoid or settle a law suit. They shouldn't have to pay for this - nor should all of us who would end up paying for it thru higher ticket prices.

If they do have to make changes, I hope it's something along the lines of:
- stop using those paper trays. Find some other way of distributing the fish that won't encourage the dolphins to lunge after them, or
- build a little ledge underneath the top of the wall around the dolphin pool. Make it very clear that the trays have to stay under the ledge.

Hopefully the little girl will heal up just fine, life with go on at Sea World as normal, and this won't happen again.

Sue in Texas

They make it very clear that the trays are not to be off of the ledge, so what is a ledge underneath the top of the wall going to do? The parents and kid didn't do what they were supposed to do. No matter what SW does, they would still would choose not to follow the RULES!!!!

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Originally Posted by Belle & Ariel

We know someone whose child slammed a door on a ride and broke a finger. Universal gave the family free passes for life with front of the line privileges. This doesn't really "cost" alot and saves expensive litigation and settlement.
The park wasn't really at fault--those doors are closed on thousands each day and this is not a common problem--but kept the peace. Same thing could easily happen with the dolphin situation at SW.

What a sad world we live in, though, where the party who is not at fault is compelled to provide restitution to someone who didn't follow the rules (which were clearly stated) and was harmed as a result.

SeaWorld was not in the wrong. The young child made a mistake, and suffered the natural consequences of her error. Life lesson here......or should have been.

I don't think it matters what kind of safety measures or rules are put into place, people will abuse them, circumvent them, or, in this little girl's case, let their excitement take over and simply forget them. Whether intentional or not intentional, why should SW (or any other park) end up compensating for an action they counselled guests NOT do do?

[trouttigger]

Originally Posted by Belle & Ariel

We know someone whose child slammed a door on a ride and broke a finger. Universal gave the family free passes for life with front of the line privileges. This doesn't really "cost" alot and saves expensive litigation and settlement.
The park wasn't really at fault--those doors are closed on thousands each day and this is not a common problem--but kept the peace. Same thing could easily happen with the dolphin situation at SW.

I think the Universal response is more than generous.

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I think the family posting the video of the incident on You Tube with the quote "It's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured at this attraction" and going to the media now is very unfortunate because a large percentage of people who see that video on the news or You Tube and haven't been to Sea World and don't know the rules of the dolphin feeding are just going to see a video of a dolphin biting a little girl which will cause people to have misguided assumptions about Sea World and how they operate their parks. It seems like Sea World doesn't get a break from bad press. If the parents acknowledged that they know the incident happened because a very important rule was not followed and said they don't intend to sue, then I wonder why they have chosen to go to the media

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Originally Posted by 2Pirates2Princesses

If the parents acknowledged that they know the incident happened because a very important rule was not followed and said they don't intend to sue, then I wonder why they have chosen to go to the media

By doing so, they are quite obviously expecting "something" from SeaWorld. Perhaps not a financial settlement gleaned from a lawsuit, but they are expecting something.

Did you notice, on the Good Morning America story, they referred to the incident as an "attack"?

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs...opstories.html

I can't in any way view what happened as an attack. That little girl was at a dolphin feeding area, the dolphin tried to feed from the empty tray by grabbing it in its mouth (when she held the tray in the air, which is expressly not permitted), and in the attempt to grab the tray, the dolphin's teeth punctured her hand. An attack? Good grief.

[tazlikesrobots]

Originally Posted by Kristibo42

I hate to say this but they told her not to do it. I think people need to start paying attention to instructions. Just remember these are animals.

Completely agree!

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

By doing so, they are quite obviously expecting "something" from SeaWorld. Perhaps not a financial settlement gleaned from a lawsuit, but they are expecting something.

Did you notice, on the Good Morning America story, they referred to the incident as an "attack"?

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs...opstories.html

I can't in any way view what happened as an attack. That little girl was at a dolphin feeding area, the dolphin tried to feed from the empty tray by grabbing it in its mouth (when she held the tray in the air, which is expressly not permitted), and in the attempt to grab the tray, the dolphin's teeth punctured her hand. An attack? Good grief.

I didn't catch that when I watched the GMA interview. This definitely wasn't an attack and the dolphin didn't intentionally bite the girl. This is what I meant in my last post that when most people see that video and don't know the story behind it, they are just going to see a little girl getting bitten and have misguided assumptions. I feel bad that the little girl had to experience that and I am sure it was a scary ordeal, but the way the parents are portraying this isn't right or fair. I am ready to book a trip to Sea World to show them my support!

[Belle & Ariel]

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

What a sad world we live in, though, where the party who is not at fault is compelled to provide restitution to someone who didn't follow the rules (which were clearly stated) and was harmed as a result.

SeaWorld was not in the wrong. The young child made a mistake, and suffered the natural consequences of her error. Life lesson here......or should have been.

I don't think it matters what kind of safety measures or rules are put into place, people will abuse them, circumvent them, or, in this little girl's case, let their excitement take over and simply forget them. Whether intentional or not intentional, why should SW (or any other park) end up compensating for an action they counselled guests NOT do do?

I totally agree with you. Unfortunately we have an extremely litiigious society which has been taught that nothing is ever their fault and they are entitled to something.

There are similar events on cruise critic where someone jumps overboard and the ship should have nets to protect, should not have served alcohol, should have cameras and someone manning 24/7 to catch someone, etc. Never the person who chose suicide's fault but the ship's. Last week someone jumped off a ship and a lawyer site announced the disappearance and gave the number of overboards that were not solved in the last few years, pointing blame on the cruise line. They have now been retained by the family. Makes me sick.

[anthony2k7]

The parents own video ends with this text:
"Thank God it didn't pull her into the water. It's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured at this attraction".

That sounds to me that they clearly lay blame with Seaworld and it certainly hints they'll sue.


I hope Seaworld counter sue for misuse of their logo!

[Escape Artist]

Originally Posted by mom of2

They make it very clear that the trays are not to be off of the ledge, so what is a ledge underneath the top of the wall going to do? The parents and kid didn't do what they were supposed to do. No matter what SW does, they would still would choose not to follow the RULES!!!!

Good designers use their designs to enhance environmental safety all the time. Most people just aren't aware of the factors that have gone into what's all around them, until it's specifically pointed out. Think about it sometime as you're walking around various theme parks - it's one of the ways you can tell a good theme park from a lousy one.

It's smart to let design help solve problems - and it's a lot more reliable than counting on human nature. Even little things make big differences. Relying on human nature--or good parenting in a public environment--doesn't solve anything here. It will just get things shut down, which none of us want.

[RabFlmom]

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

What a sad world we live in, though, where the party who is not at fault is compelled to provide restitution to someone who didn't follow the rules (which were clearly stated) and was harmed as a result.

SeaWorld was not in the wrong. The young child made a mistake, and suffered the natural consequences of her error. Life lesson here......or should have been.

I don't think it matters what kind of safety measures or rules are put into place, people will abuse them, circumvent them, or, in this little girl's case, let their excitement take over and simply forget them. Whether intentional or not intentional, why should SW (or any other park) end up compensating for an action they counselled guests NOT do do?

Yep, it was excitement on the girl's part and I am thinking maybe had the mom or dad been standing next to and watching over the girl to make sure she followed the rules, this would not have happened. We always stood next to each our sons to make sure they didn't lift up the tray or dangle the fish to make the dolphin come out of the water. I would have been there making sure she didn't have to pick up the empty tray to show me she didn't have fish. I would have already known. But then I was a mom who held their hands walking in parking lots which doesn't always happen in this day and age either.

[angelmom27]

I am sure that was scary for the girl but I feel sorry for the poor dolphin and sea world. Everyone likes to twist a small accident into a big deal. Hope no big changes happen.

[dizneyprincess1]

Here's a concept, the parents take responsibility for being negligent and not listening to the rules whether you know why they have that rule or not. Sea world or the dolphin is not at fault...

[goofyfigment]

When my daughter was 4 she was picked to be part of the dolphin show and i had to sign a release, do they do that for the dilphin