Animal rights group plans ‘Justice For Snooty’ protest this weekend

Florida Voices for Animals, an animal rights non-profit organization based in Tampa Bay, is holding a “Justice For Snooty” protest tomorrow afternoon.

On July 23, Snooty died in captivity at the South Florida Museum when he swam into a plumbing compartment after a blockade was dislodged. He became trapped due to his size (1,300 lbs.) and he later drowned. Celebrating his 69th birthday only hours before his death, he was the oldest-known manatee in the world.

South Florida Museum employees have come under fire as museum officials, including the Board of Trustees and CEO Brynne Anne Besio, are endorsing a thorough review of his death, The Ledger reports.

“Without facts, it is not appropriate to speculate or make any allegations,” the museum said in a statement. “When the review is complete and action steps are determined, the museum is committed to sharing the information publicly.”

FVA will send letters to the museum board calling for any employees involved in the incident to be removed.

“We can’t heal knowing the people whose negligence that killed Snooty still go to jobs and carry on like nothing happened,” Denise Anderson, a member of Florida Voices for Animals, said to The Ledger. “I don’t know why the board of directors is dragging their feet about this. These people need to go.”

The protest will be held outside of the South Florida Museum August 5 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

This article appears in Aug 2-8, 2017.