Canada has banned the practice of keeping dolphins, whales and porpoises in captivity after a long-fought-for piece of legislation passed resoundingly Monday.
The Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act, which Canadian media nicknamed the “Free Willy” bill, outlaws captivity, breeding, trade, possession and capture of cetaceans.
The measure, which was first introduced in 2015, passed by a wide margin in the House of Commons on Monday, had been championed by animal rights groups such as Humane Society International, Animal Justice and the Whale Sanctuary Project. It was passed previously by the country’s Senate.
