Animals & care: 1) ‘We need to get them out’: Beluga trainer fired by Marineland speaks out; 2) As the garden winds down, it’s time to care for winter-prepping birds; 3)Losing a family pet gives parents a chance to teach children about death and grieving

1) ‘We need to get them out’: Beluga trainer fired by Marineland speaks out

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Liam Casey, October 14, 2025

Marineland’s crumbling infrastructure, staffing shortage and lack of resources have created dangerous conditions for its belugas and they should be moved immediately, a fired beluga trainer says.

Kristy Burgess, who worked at the Niagara Falls, Ont., park when a young beluga was put down in February, said Marineland’s threat to euthanize all 30 of its remaining belugas if it doesn’t receive emergency funding is a “repulsive” tactic that uses the whales as leverage.

“We need to get them out,” Burgess said of the last captive whales in Canada. “Immediately.”

Burgess is speaking out for the first time about her experience at Marineland as the very whales she loved now face possible death.

Nineteen belugas, one dolphin and one killer whale have died at the park since 2019, according to a database created by The Canadian Press based on internal documents and official statements. 

The belugas’ pools, Arctic Cove and Friendship Cove, are in desperate need of repair, with their painted walls peeling and concrete chunks falling into the water, Burgess said. 

“Whales have come in with paint chips on their tongues,” she said. “The pools are falling apart.”

Rocks from the pools’ decorative feature have crumbled into the tanks, providing some excitement for the whales as they like to play with them or try to eat them, she added.

“We’ve had people have to dive into the water and fish out really large, heavy rocks, probably the size of dinner plates,” Burgess said.

The water system has broken down regularly, Burgess said, affecting the park’s ability to drop and raise water, which is crucial to giving whales medical treatment. This has meant delays in treating whales or trainers taking extra risks to get into deeper water to provide care, she said.

Marineland did not respond to multiple requests for comment with detailed questions about Burgess’s allegations.

Once a tourist attraction, the park is now in crisis after the federal government denied export permits to move its 30 belugas to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a massive aquarium in China. The park said it is nearly broke and has no other viable options to rehome the whales.

Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson said she denied the export request because she did not want to subject the belugas to a future performing in captivity, which is consistent with a federal law passed in 2019.

Marineland then wrote to the minister asking for emergency funds to feed and care for the whales, saying it is running out of money and would otherwise have to euthanize them.

Burgess said she wants Thompson to reconsider her decision. She believes the minister is detached from the reality of the situation.

“The minister and everyone keeps saying, ‘Well, they may not make it if they move to China,’ or that they’re going to perform or breed, but the reality is I would rather see them try and (if) they don’t make it and they pass, fine, but at least they tried,” she said. 

“How is it a better plan to leave them at Marineland? They’ll either die slowly there or they’ll be euthanized because someone wants to make money off the land that they are sitting on.”

Thompson’s office said the minister has made it clear that the decision to deny the export permits was made in alignment with the law and “with the best interests of the belugas in mind.”

Thompson has urged Marineland to come up with a new plan and said she will consider any proposal quickly.  

Marineland’s founder John Holer died in 2018 and his wife, Marie, ran the park until she died in 2024. The estate has been placed into a trust. 

The animals have been an impediment to the sale of the park, though the sprawling property is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, perhaps more. 

Marineland has become a political hot potato, with the federal and provincial governments pointing the finger at each other to help the belugas. Premier Doug Ford said Ottawa created this mess, while Thompson said the health and welfare of the whales is in the provincial purview.

Ontario is responsible for enforcing animal welfare laws and has conducted a sprawling, ongoing investigation into Marineland since 2020. Inspectors have visited the park more than 220 times and issued 33 orders for compliance.

The park’s water has long been an issue. 

The province has four long-term outstanding orders against Marineland. They are focused on water quality, the maintenance and repair of the water system, proper record keeping for whales and dolphins and the condition of enclosures and enrichment level for dolphins, seals and sea lions, the Ministry of the Solicitor General has said.

In 2021, the province declared all marine mammals at Marineland in distress, citing poor water. Marineland disagreed, filed an appeal to an order, but then dropped its appeal.

Marineland has gone silent in recent days as last week’s deadline for its funding request came and went. The province confirmed Thursday the whales were still alive but provided no other details. 

Until recently, Burgess was a lifelong Marineland fan. She remembers becoming smitten with the park when she visited as a seven-year-old. By the time she was 15, she had a job at the Hungry Bear, the park’s main restaurant, for two summers.

She applied for other jobs at Marineland and finally landed one in 2022. She started as a caregiver for the whales, which involved prepping meals of frozen fish. Herring, capelin and smelt make up the core of the belugas’ diet.

Burgess was soon promoted to assistant marine mammal caregiver. Then she became a beluga trainer. 

The workload weighed on Burgess over time. She said the park was short-staffed when she worked there and had 18 workers who covered both beluga pools. The whales need daily care, so breaks, different shifts, time off and sickness meant that could work out to five to seven people doing hands-on animal care, she said. 

“It’s not even close to enough,” she said.

During her three years at Marineland, seven belugas and the park’s lone killer whale, Kiska, died.

Burgess said the deaths took a toll on the trainers and caregivers at Marineland, who work year-round in all weather conditions over long, laborious hours.

“They’re tired, they’re carrying the weight of all the grief that they have seen over the years and they’re spread super thin, but they’re still showing up and doing their best,” she said. “And they get paid pennies.” 

Burgess said she was paid $18.50 an hour as a full-time trainer, up from the $17.50 she earned as a caregiver. Some of the more senior trainers earn a touch more than $20 an hour, she said.

She wants the public to know more about the belugas that remain at Marineland. 

There’s Xena, the matriarch of the pod. 

“Her age doesn’t slow her down,” Burgess wrote in a Facebook post with a blurb about each whale. Xena is the mother of two born at the park: Eve, a more reserved beluga that “giggles” when she vocalizes, and Xavier, the “nerd” of the pod who is “extremely intelligent and loves to play with enrichment,” Burgess wrote.

Some belugas are more dominant and others are more submissive, she explained.

“They are very loving, they do show affection and form very close social bonds with each other,” she said.

Part of the 2019 law that banned captivity has had a deleterious effect on the whales, she said. Ottawa forbade breeding, so Marineland had to separate the males and females as beluga birth control doesn’t otherwise exist. 

That has caused problems when beluga families are separated.

“The males, when they get hormonal, they get really aggressive with one another,” Burgess said, citing as an example the whales’ “raking” — scraping their teeth on other belugas that causes permanent scarring.

“There’s been raking to an extreme degree,” she said.

“The females are very skittish and nervous, whereas before, when the males were present, they were a lot more confident.”

Marineland’s threat to put down all of its whales landed like a bomb at the park, Burgess said, as she’s still close to many workers there.

But she said it’s not a credible threat.

“It’s repulsive, but the vets won’t do it, the caregivers won’t do it,” she said.

Mass euthanasia is “insane,” she said, and even if there were workers willing to do it, it would take days. Euthanasia is difficult on the workers, she said, even when it’s necessary – like in February.

Eos, a seven-year-old juvenile beluga, struggled at the time. The whale had been sick since birth and euthanizing her was the right decision, Burgess said.

Burgess had formed a deep connection with Eos, as she became one of her caregivers over the previous year. Eos struggled to eat, so Burgess spent hours trying different ways to get food into the whale.

Despite the workers’ efforts, life began to slip away from Eos. 

“I wanted to be able to see her body so I had closure because previous whales, when they passed, I would come into work and they would just be gone and you just had to carry on,” Burgess said through tears.

She didn’t want that with Eos, so she pushed to be part of the process. “I was able to see her, give her a hug and say goodbye.”

Burgess said Marineland fired her in early March, shortly after The Canadian Press learned of Eos’s death from a source inside the park. 

After The Canadian Press sent questions to Marineland, the park confirmed the whale’s death on social media.

But Marineland was furious with the leak and began interrogating employees, Burgess said. She said she was fired a few weeks later and initially given no reason.  

Burgess said she was eventually told it was due to Marineland winding down its operations, though the park later posted her job on an employment site. Burgess provided a screenshot of the ad but The Canadian Press did not independently view it on the employment site. 

She said she believes she was fired over the leak even though she wasn’t the source. 

She tried for months to get her job back, but said Marineland refused.

Now she’s left trying to make sense of the whales’ current predicament. All levels of government have let down the whales at Marineland, she said, adding that she wants to make one point crystal clear.

“Marineland’s current desperation is a result of choices, not circumstance,” Burgess said.

2) As the garden winds down, it’s time to care for winter-prepping birds

Courtesy Barrie360.com and The Associated Press

By Jessica Damiano, October 12, 2025

This Jan. 20, 2025, image shows a Northern cardinal perched on a snow-covered viburnum branch on Long Island, N.Y. (Jessica Damiano via AP)

I just cleaned out and filled a couple of birdfeeders to help my migrating backyard buddies fuel up for their long journeys south. And I’ll keep it well-stocked with high-energy seed mix throughout winter to feed the non-migratory birds that tough it out until spring in my suburban New York garden.

After all, it’s now, when the garden is slowing down, that birds need us the most. Providing sustenance is one of several ways that we can support them.

When selecting road food (sky food?) for birds, I always seek out options that provide high-quality sources of fat and protein, like unsalted peanuts, black-oil sunflower seeds and suet, which are cakes made from animal fat, seeds, grains and mealworms.

I’ll also whip up a batch of sugar-water “nectar” for migrating hummingbirds by dissolving 1 cup of white sugar in 4 cups of boiling water, then allowing it to cool.

All this is to supplement the buffet of seeds and berries that my perennials, shrubs and trees will naturally provide.

Let some perennials remain as food, habitat, visual interest

I’ve long ago abandoned the idea of a tidy winter garden, instead leaving most of my perennials, many of them natives, standing until spring. The plump seeds hidden in their faded flower heads will also feed the non-migratory birds that rough it out here over the winter, when other food sources are scarce.

The asters, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, goldenrods and ornamental grasses will soon be dry and crispy, but they will continue to serve the garden and its inhabitants for months.

So will the berries nestled between the spiky leaves of my American holly bush, and those clinging to soon-to-be bare viburnum and dogwood branches. With any luck, nuts will fall to the ground encased in their “pinecone” packages, although I suspect this may be an off year for my Norway spruce.

If you aren’t already in the habit, consider leaving your spent perennials standing over winter. Not only will they serve essential wildlife, but they’ll serve you, too.

Birdsong in winter is a treat in my garden, and the view of snow-covered seedheads from my window is certainly prettier than what my neighbor sees when gazing at her barren wasteland of a flattened, cleared-out garden.

Add trees and other plants

If you don’t have seed- or berry-producing plants in your landscape, you’re in luck. Not only is early fall a great time to plant shrubs and perennials, but the plants are likely to be steeply discounted at the garden center.

Consider adding trees, too. Oaks, firs, hickories and evergreens are among those that provide quality food, shelter and nesting sites for feathered friends. And that friendship will never be more apparent than in spring, when they’ll repay you with free pest-control services, feeding their baby hatchlings with thousands of insects that would otherwise go on to ravage your plants.

Leave some leaves and cut some lights

Pushing fallen leaves into garden beds to insulate plants and nourish the soil will also shelter hibernating insects that, in turn, will sustain ground-feeding birds. It’s much better for the ecosystem — and easier for the gardener — than bagging them up and sending them to a landfill.

I’ll also disconnect my solar-powered landscape lighting and keep the porch light turned off for the next couple of months to avoid disorienting migratory birds, which rely on the moon and stars as celestial navigation cues to find their way south. It’s the closest they have to GPS, and I, for one, don’t want to be responsible for interfering with their signal.

In the end, caring for birds during the leanest moths is a gift that will fly right back at you.

3)Losing a family pet gives parents a chance to teach children about death and grieving

Courtesy Barrie360.com and The Associated Press

By Cheyanne Mumphrey, October 12, 2025

Losing a pet is the first time many children encounter death. The experience can become an opportunity for profound emotional learning and influence how young people understand and process grief when they are adults, according to psychologists and pet bereavement specialists.

Parents and guardians therefore have important roles to play when a family pet dies. Along with helping children accept the painful permanence of death, caregivers can guide kids through a healthy and healing mourning process that provides a foundation for coping with an inevitable part of life.

“People are so adverse to talking about death and grief, but it is the one thing that is guaranteed: We are all going to die. We need to be open to talking about that,” said Deirdra Flavin, CEO of the National Alliance for Children’s Grief.

Here are some things to consider when talking with children about death and supporting them through pet loss.

Children respond to death in different ways

Depending on how old they are and their individual circumstances, children vary in their ability to comprehend the concept of death. The way they process grief, how long they mourn and the impact of the loss is also unique to each child, just as it is for adults. Experts say sadness, anger and other overwhelming emotions associated with grief may be more difficult for younger children to navigate, so having support is crucial.

Psychologists and bereavement counselors say some people feel the heartbreak from a pet’s death as intensely as the loss of any other loved one, reflecting the potential depths of human-animal bonds. In the case of children, their relationship with a pet, and whether the death was sudden or not, are other factors that may shape individual responses.

Colleen Rolland, president of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, says parents usually know how intellectually and emotionally capable their children are of processing death.

Children as young as 4 years old might have been exposed to death through fairy tales and other stories but may struggle to understand its finality, Rolland said. Older children, who will know their loss is forever, may need more emotional support from friends and family, she said.

Elizabeth Perez said she learned quickly how differently her three children processed the death of their dog, Zoe, who was hit by a car nearly a year-and-a-half ago in front of their second daughter. The other two children were inside the family’s home in Pullman, Washington.

“Carmen would talk about how the images kept replaying in her head, she was having nightmares and couldn’t sleep,” Perez said, adding that her daughter hasn’t worn the dress she had on that day since.

Perez recalls she and her husband spending a lot of time with Carmen, now 11, and asking her questions about her feelings. Even their youngest child, who did not see the car hit Zoe and had spent the least amount of time with the dog, still tears up thinking about the April 2024 accident.

“It was really hard for the whole family. Everybody was feeling it differently and at different times,” Perez said. “We, as parents, did not feel prepared.”

Using clear language and avoiding euphemisms

Experts say it’s important to be honest and use clear language when discussing death with children. Adults often are inclined to protect children with euphemisms, such as a pet went to sleep, got lost or was put down.

“That can be alarming for children and cause a lot of confusion and fear. So, saying ‘The fish went to sleep’ might create concerns for the child when they are going to sleep,” Flavin said. “Particularly with younger kids because they are so literal in terms of the way that things are expressed to them.”

When Leah Motz’s daughter was 2 years old, she told her their 15-year-old dog, Izzy, had a “good life but his body is broken and it won’t be able to fix itself.” Motz recalled that before taking him to be euthanized near their home in Renton, Washington, she further explained they were going to “help Izzy die.”

Support children through deep feelings

Sometimes adults have a hard time recognizing the impact that losing a pet instead of a person might have on children. Rolland says child grief tends to be trivialized in general, and that people who are very devoted to their pets can produce as much stigma as sympathy.

“But pet loss is a very real form of grief,” she said.

Raquel Halfond, a licensed clinical psychologist with the American Psychological Association, says children’s behavior often indicates how they are feeling even if they are not expressing it verbally.

“Maybe you notice your child is having more tantrums. Suddenly there’s stuff that they used to love doing, they no longer want to do. Maybe they start to refuse to go to school. It’s really normal to have these for a while,” Halfond said.

Other signs to look for include uncharacteristic sadness, tears, anger and even silence, she said. A child’s emotional response is often independent of their willingness to talk about death, but she said it might be time to seek professional help if their emotions or behavior affect their ability to function.

It’s OK for adults to grieve with children

Much like they do in other situations or developmental stages, children often learn how to handle grief by watching their caregivers. The way adults respond to loss is likely to set an example for their children.

“Parents, or caregivers, must be confident in how they deal with pet loss,” Rolland said, adding that parents who are unfamiliar with grief or display unhealthy behaviors might teach children to act in the same manner.

Two of Meaghan Marr’s dogs died in Euharlee, Georgia, when her two children were young. The first to go, Sadie, had ongoing health issues, so Marr was able to have continuous conversations and prepare her then-7-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.

“My son definitely understood what was going on. While my daughter was sad, it didn’t quite reach her as deeply,” Marr said. She said it seemed like a lot of the children’s’ emotions were in response to her own grieving for a pet she refers to as her “soulmate dog.”

Halfond advises parents not to hide their feelings from their children.

“If you’re feeling sad, it’s OK for the child to see you feeling sad. In fact, it could be confusing if something sad happened and they don’t see that emotion reflected in their parents,” she said.

Leave room for closure and lifelong memories

One way to help children come to terms with the death of a pet is by memorializing the lives of the late companions through activities such as raising money for animals in need, drawing pictures, holding funerals or doing the things their pets loved to do.

Before their dog Sadie died, Marr said many of the conversations with her kids centered around how dogs don’t live forever and would one day go to heaven. The difficult part for her was explaining that was true of every pet.

“We talked about if they still wanted animals even though they are not going to last as long as we do,” she said. “It hurts to lose them, but they make your life so much better while they are here.”