Full Name Philip Demers Occupation marine mammal trainer | Years active 2000–2012 Name Philip Demers | |
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Born March 21, 1978 (age 46) ( 1978-03-21 ) Welland, Ontario, Canada | ||
A message from 5 year old luke to philip demers
Philip Demers (aka "The Walrus Whisperer") (born March 21, 1978) is a former professional marine mammal trainer at MarineLand in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He is best known for his unique relationship with a captive walrus named Smooshi.
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Career
Demers' animal training career began in 2000 at MarineLand where he was employed until August 2012. In 2007, Demers became the focus of mass media attention regarding his unique relationship with a captive Pacific walrus named Smooshi. Their relationship garnered the attention of such television programs as CBC's The National, Inside Edition, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Demers left his position at Marineland citing allegations of negligent treatment of the animals and unhealthy conditions. As of fall 2015, Marineland continued to pursue legal action against Demers and other former employees who had claimed deleterious conditions at Marineland.
A news article on 10 August 2017 stated that the park had filed a total of nine lawsuits against activists, former employees and the media since 2012. None of the suits has been resolved in court. On the same date, all of the 11 charges laid by the OSPCA for animal cruelty against Marineland were dropped by the prosecutor who believed that there was no hope of convictions on eight of them. Demers expressed his disappointment: "My jaw's on the floor. It always is. I've tempered my expectations, especially when it comes to this justice system, and especially with the OSPCA. Quite frankly, I find them completely useless."
Later in the day on 10 August, updated news reports added insights as to alternative proposed by the Crown Attorney: the public interest would be better served by a system of ongoing monitoring of the animals' condition at the park.
Demers was a contestant on Wipeout Canada, becoming the winner of the first episode of the Canadian edition of the show.