Brittany Mahomes Draws Criticism for Vacation Photo With Dolphin

By Ashley Turner

Brittany Mahomes, the wife of the NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was criticized this week by the animal rights organization PETA because she swam with dolphins on a "vacation playdate." The influencer and co-owner of KC Current is drawing the ire of PETA and animal advocacy groups while on vacation in Hawaii. The comments of Mahomes' latest Instagram post became flooded with hundreds of people after she uploaded a series of pictures posing with dolphins. It is also worth noting that Mahomes removed her post from the social networking site. According to TMZ, several photos feature Mahomes embracing, petting, and kissing the dolphin. The young mother also posed in a number of pictures with Sterling Mahomes, her two-year-old daughter.

It appears that Brittany did not think she did anything wrong when she captioned her pictures with, "Ever snuggled a 400lbs dolphin?" adding a heart-eyed emoji to the caption. One user wrote in response, "No because I don't support places that put them in captivity." Another commenter posted: "Please educate yourself on dolphins in captivity! It is hell for these beautiful creatures." As the comments continued to pile up, the post soon caught the attention of the high-profile and controversial animal advocacy group, which eventually took an interest in the matter. In this case, the dolphin being held captive was the key issue. PETA emphasized that the organization does not approve of Mahomes spending time with animals that are confined to small enclosures.

"We know you love companion animals, but we hope to see you extend your compassion to marine life too," PETA said. "In the ocean, dolphins swim up to 60 miles each day, but when used for entertainment, they're confined to small tanks or pools." Participating in the formerly classic vacation activity has become increasingly controversial in recent years. In its comment, PETA pointed out that dolphins kept in captivity for entertainment are more likely to suffer from ulcers and die prematurely, as well as contract illnesses that are easily transmitted from humans to dolphins. "Many dolphins develop painful conditions, such as stomach ulcers, and some die prematurely from the stressful conditions of extreme captivity. Not to mention, many illnesses can be passed from dolphins to human visitors, including viral, fungal, and bacterial infections such as salmonella. These types of interactions are dangerous for them and us." Several commenters on the post defended Mahomes, stating that the program was developed by veterinarians specializing in the care of marine mammals. Neither Patrick nor Brittany Mahomes has yet to acknowledge the online backlash to the photo nor the criticism from PETA. 

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