Because PETA doesn't realized they've been a walking punchline for the past twenty years, they've made their next move - sure to win us all over here in the Tampa Bay area - by standing up and finally fighting that noble, couragous fight for the treatment of the fish housed inside Tropicana Field's interactive "touch tank".
In a letter written to Tampa Bay Rays team counsel John Higgins from Delcianna Winders, director of PETA's captive animal law enforcement, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) claims that Tropicana Field's "reckless and cruel" touch tank endangers the over 30 rescued and rehabilitated cownose rays inside by allowing them to be "subjected to constant reverberations from crowds, poked and prodded by up to 50 unfamiliar people at a time, and left unprotected from potential abuse," according to the letter.
In the letter, Winders goes on to say the tank "has the additional danger of being in a baseball stadium, where a ray could easily be injured or killed by an errant ball," adding, "cruelty-to-animals charges could well result if and when a ball hits and injures or kills one of the rays. And as recent events have demonstrated, that threat is all too real."
The "recent events" refer to the solo shot home run off the bat of Tigers' third basemen Miguel Cabrera, which landed in the tank, the second time an incident like that has occurred. Luis Gonzalez of the Los Angeles Dodgers did the same thing back in 2007. No fish were struck or injured in either incident.
The 10,000 gallon tank was introduced back in 2006 as part of a partnership with the Florida Aquarium aimed to educate fans on aquatic life and conservation. All of the 30+ cownose rays were rescued from the Tampa Bay. Proceeds from 'ray food' which fans can feed to the fish and other items all benefit the nonprofit Florida Aquarium.
"When it comes to compassion, the Rays are batting .000," Winders wrote.
Never mind the fact that this is a sport where, just recently, a Rays pitcher got smacked by a line drive traveling 102 miles per hour into his skull, or that players and coaches have actually died from injuries sustained during games. The real issue is the fish tank in the outfield. Stay classy, PETA.
