Oppose the Trafford Centre Aquarium

  • by: Liz Tyson
  • recipient: The Management Team, The Trafford Shopping Centre, Manchester

Please sign this petition to help us to oppose the opening of a new aquatic zoo in the busy Trafford Shopping Centre in Manchester, UK.

CAPS' scientific report, Suffering Deep Down, which was released some years ago, shed light on the aquarium industry and the serious concerns for animal welfare, conservation and ethics that are, sadly, simply part and parcel of the business of aquatic zoos.

The Trafford Centres states that it aims to be the “greenest shopping centre in the UK” and acknowledges on its website that “social, environmental and ethical concerns drive our customers in their choice of services” and that “our customers and staff demand that we address our impact on the world around us”. If these are genuine considerations for the company, then opening a zoo on the premises would appear to be in conflict with these values.

Please help us to send the message loud and clear to the Trafford Centre that plans to create a captive animal facility on its premises will not be supported by consumers.

Photo: Dino van doorn [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons


Dear Management Team,


We, the undersigned, oppose the proposals to establish an aquarium within the Trafford Shopping Centre.


The scientific report, Suffering Deep Down, which was released some years ago by the Captive Animals’ Protection Society, shed light on the UK aquarium industry and highlighted serious concerns for animal welfare, conservation and ethics. Major welfare issues include high mortality rates and significant evidence of stereotypic behaviour. We believe that to establish yet another aquarium in a busy shopping centre to make profit from holding animals captive is simply unacceptable.


The Trafford Centres states that it aims to be the “greenest shopping centre in the UK” and acknowledges on its website that “social, environmental and ethical concerns drive our customers in their choice of services” and that “our customers and staff demand that we address our impact on the world around us”. If these are genuine considerations for the company, then opening a zoo on the premises would appear to be in conflict with these values.


We ask you to reconsider these plans as a matter of urgency. Holding animals captive for entertainment and profit will not be supported.


Yours sincerely,

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