Should you take your kids to SeaWorld? You're free to decide however you wish, but my answer is no. There's nothing new about the animal rights/humaneness issue of taking an orca (killer whale) and removing it from its living environment of 100s to 1000s of miles of ocean and placing it in a living environment that is the equivalent of a human living in a bathtub for the remainder of their lives. There's nothing humane about that.
I read a great review/synopsis of the independent film Blackfish that exposes the behind the scenes activities that go on at places such as SeaWorld. I've added the film to my Netflix queue.
What's the difference between SeaWorld and zoos? The goal of most zoos is conservation and preservation. Zoos do not exist to make money (at least most of them). Zoos are usually non-profit organizations whereas SeaWorld is a for-profit company in the business of providing entertainment and making money. For-profit companies (including zoos) are not necessarily bad, but one should always be skeptical when the goal is to make money.
I went to SeaWorld as a kid and loved it, but had no clue about what goes on behind the scenes. Now that I do, I have a completely different outlook. Everyone is free to make their own choices, but this family will not be making a trip to SeaWorld.
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