ORLANDO, Florida -- Animal rights group PETA is asking federal officials to investigate SeaWorld Orlando after a veterinarian says she observed violations of the Animal Welfare Act on a recent visit.
PETA veterinarian Heather Rally said Thursday that she saw dolphins with skin abnormalities, unsupervised contact between the public and dolphins, and orcas with dental trauma and rake marks.
She found "evidence of orcas with scarring, likely from fighting, and severe dental trauma, including broken teeth, likely the result of biting on the bars and sides of tanks out of boredom, stress, and frustration," according to an emailed statement from PETA.
Rally visited the Orlando park in June.
PETA officials asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to send inspectors to the park to investigate. PETA has made similar requests about SeaWorld's two other parks in San Antonio and San Diego.
SeaWorld veterinarian Lara Croft says the USDA finished an annual inspection of SeaWorld parks weeks ago and SeaWorld did very well. Croft says many of PETA's observations are seen in animals in the wild too.
Additional reporting by Mashable