Victory! Toothless the Shark Begins His Journey to a Better Life

Today, Toothless finally began his journey to a better life. Toothless is a 9-10 year old whitetip reef shark who spent most of his life confined alone in a small tank at an aquarium store in Ottawa.

In 2024, AEL Advocacy launched a campaign to save Toothless after becoming deeply concerned about his welfare. Those concerns led to a formal complaint filed with Provincial Animal Welfare Services, citing potential violations of Ontario’s Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019. At the same time, we mobilized public support through a national petition that has since gathered more than 1,300 signatures, a clear message that Canadians care about the wellbeing of aquatic animals.

Thanks to our efforts and continued public pressure from you, the Big Al's franchise committed to rehoming all sharks in their stores and pledged to stop acquiring large predatory species going forward. What followed was more than a year of persistent, behind-the-scenes work: consulting experts, engaging with regulators, and exploring every viable rehoming option across Canada and beyond. Many potential placements fell through due to space limitations or the specialized care required for a whitetip reef shark, but we did not stop.

After months of coordination with authorities and collaboration between AEL Advocacy, the Big Al's franchise, and the receiving facility, Toothless’s long-awaited relocation is officially underway.

His journey will take him to an aquarium facility in Nashville, Tennessee, providing a 200,000-gallon habitat, a dramatic and life-changing improvement over the approximately 1,500-gallon tank he previously occupied. For the first time in years, Toothless will have the space to swim, explore his environment, and engage in more natural behaviours.

“This is an incredible step forward for Toothless,” said Kira Berkeley, Co-Director and Legal Counsel at AEL Advocacy. “We’re deeply grateful to everyone who signed our petition, shared information, and worked with us to find his new home. Your voices and effort made this possible.”

A Quick Update on Carlos

Following our campaign for Toothless, we identified another shark in need: Carlos, a blacktip reef shark housed at Big Al's Mississauga location. AEL Advocacy has been working with the aquarium store to ensure Carlos is also moved to a more suitable environment.

While there is no new news since our last update, Carlos is still on the path to a permanent home. A Canadian facility has agreed to welcome him, and the aquarium store’s franchisor is managing the placement, drawing on their prior experience successfully rehoming a shark in Canada last year.

We expect a confirmed relocation date soon and will continue to monitor the process closely. Updates will be shared as soon as details are finalized.

While AEL Advocacy continues to push for an eventual end to marine animal captivity, we also recognize the urgent need to act within the realities animals face today. Working with existing aquarium facilities is, at present, the most compassionate and effective path toward securing better conditions and improved welfare for sharks like Toothless and Carlos.

Toothless’s move is proof that advocacy, collaboration, and persistence can create real change for animals who are too often overlooked. While our work isn’t over yet, Toothless’s story has already become a beacon of hope, showing us that collective action can lead to meaningful improvements in the lives of captive animals.