Too frightening for fish?
Under the distinctly punworthy headline (don't worry, all will become clear in a moment), this week's Sunday People newspaper reported on the story of Victoria Osbourne, an 18-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who, whilst on holiday with her parents in the Egyptian resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh, visited a sealife attraction called Dolphinella. Here, the family had paid £600 for her to have a 30-minute swim with dolphins as a birthday treat.
Sadly - and unbelievably - just as Victoria was about to get into the water to do the old "communing with dolphins" bit, the marine instructor ordered her out, saying that the girl's condition would scare and upset the animals!
As a member of the animal kingdom myself, and having known a few dolphins in my time, I find this difficult to accept. Dolphins are friendly and very accepting creatures. Fear not, I shall be having a quiet word with some of them over the next few days to get their opinion on this matter.
Comments
That is so outrageous! It just goes to prove yet again that animals often have more intelligence and compassion than humans.
The gross ignorance of the Egyptians is typical of countries still filled with superstition and fear.
You must remember that in the last century children like this were murdered or hidden away from the public eye.
Whist you and I know that this is a shocking thing to do to such a precious child, we have to try and accept the fear and superstition that country still lives with.
The best way to have this child overcome her disappointment is for someone in her home country to arrange for her to dive with the Dolphins. (They are beautiful creatures and I watch them swim and play outside my bedroom window, something that keeps me sane most days.)
We must continue to educate third world countries that disabled people are human too.
Cilla Webster
Post-Polio Network RSA
Republic of South Africa
when I was looking for a puppy for my son who has cp i came across a lot of ignorant breeders who thought that their dogs just wouldn't be able to accept his disability - it's not me, it's the dogs! they would say to me - they would be disturbed/aggressive etc. of course now we have a lovely dog - no problem, obviously. another breeder told me her dogs didn't like black people!!!!!
I also went to get a puppy for my disabled daughter. We chose a puppy but the breeder later rang to say we couldn't have it as it wouldn't be fair to the puppy to just sit with a disabled child. Such ignorance, my daughter has a learning disability and would have kept the puppy well exercised!