I refer to last Sunday’s letter (28 Aug) “RWS responds to dolphin claims” by Krist Boo of Resorts World Sentosa. The letter contains inherent contradictions. ACRES has indeed stated that the RWS wild-caught dolphins will be used in a “pioneering interactive dolphin spa programme”, but we are clearly not sensationalising the issue and ACRES is unsure as to why this statement is inaccurate. We obtained the information from newspaper reports, as well as from RWS’ own website which states (www.rwsentosa.com/Spa and www.rwsentosa.com/language/en-US/Hotels/SpaVillas as of 30 August 2011) “The Spa's unique offerings include…interactive dolphin therapy programmes” and " At Resorts World Sentosa's Spa Villas, you can wake up to the sounds of waves and the beckoning calls of dolphins." ACRES has repeatedly asked RWS to clarify any "inaccurate allegations" that ACRES is allegedly making but, to date, we have not received any reply with regard to this. With regard to RWS’ being puzzled by ACRES’ allegations that RWS had failed to live up to their promises. As stated in the ACRES letter that RWS is responding to “Despite stating that 'its dolphin enclosure will 'far exceed' internationally recognised minimum space requirements for the animals', RWS housed the wild-caught dolphins in small, rusty enclosures in Langkawi for almost a year and two dolphins died there.” We understand that RWS regrets the deaths of the two dolphins, but we hope they can clarify why they housed the dolphins in enclosures (for almost a year) that did not meet international standards which they promised. ACRES continues to put the welfare of animals above all else. However, we cannot agree that forcefully removing dolphins from the wild and confining them is in the interest of these individual dolphins. We urge RWS to start a dialogue with concerned members of the public urgently. There has been much feedback given to RWS on their Facebook page and blog, and we urge RWS to respond to those concerns rather than delete them or block concerned members of the public from their Facebook page. On our part, ACRES has published and will continue to publish all of the statements from RWS on our Facebook pages, so that members of the public can make an informed decision. On 29 August 2011, Ocean Park Hong Kong announced that "after due consideration, the Park has decided to decline the option of bringing in belugas from the wild." ACRES once again urges RWS to join this progressive global movement and make a moral and ethical decision, and to please let the dolphins go. Louis Ng Executive Director ACRES 
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