Dave the Dolphin

According to some 'experts' the problem with Dave the Dolphin is that he looks just like his relatives who pull smiling children around sunlit pools all over the world.

Dave the dolphin, actually more correctly Davina the Dolphin, turned up a year ago in the waters off Sandgate, near Folkestone, Kent, and stayed to the delight of crowds who have gathered on the beach throughout the summer of 2007.
Swimmers pat him on the head or give him a hug and Dave responds with a a typical dolphin smile. But when a father tried to put his child on Dolphin Dave's  back for a ride, Kent police stepped in.

Dave is still wild and unpredictable, they warn - not like dolphins who have been trained to be with humans.

There have been reports of him trying to stop swimmers from leaving the water when games are over and the danger of putting a child is clear.

"A wild dolphin can injure a human and there have been fatalities in the US," said PC Andy Small of Kent police.
"There are fears that as Dave becomes used to human contact, he actually becomes a danger. In similar cases, dolphins start to display their dominance and that is when there is a likelihood of injury.
"There have also been reports of small craft getting close to Dave and, as his natural fear of human contact diminishes, the chance of him being struck by a boat or propeller increases."

Officers are now keeping an eye on the beach, warning Dave's growing army of admirers that it is illegal to intentionally harass a dolphin and that he might hit back.

Having said that, Dave the Dolphin has clearly made his own decision to stick around and loves to interact with humans for several hours a day.

I'm not at all sure that the police have the right to do anything more than advise.  Yes I agree that parents should be careful regarding children, especially young children that may not have good swimming skills but at the end of the day, I for one would give anything to have the chance to swim with Dave the Dolphin or any other wild dolphin that chooses to stay and play with us.