A bill making it illegal to keep a whale, dolphin or porpoise in captivity has been passed by lawmakers in Canada.
The House of Commons passed on Monday what has become known as the Free Willy bill, named after the 1993 movie in which a young boy frees a killer whale from an amusement park.
The bill, first introduced and approved in the Senate in December 2015, is expected to become law once it returns and gains royal assent, according to CNN.
It would make holding the animals captive an offence punishable by fines up to US$150,000 (£118,000).
"Nothing fantastic ever happens in a hurry. But today we celebrate that we have ended the captivity and breeding of whales and dolphins. This is news to splash a fin at," animal rights group Humane Canada said in a tweet.
The Green Party of Canada celebrated in a statement Monday. "These intelligent, social mammals will now get to live where they belong -- in the ocean," the party said.
The hashtag #emptythetanks was being used by dozens of supporters celebrating the bill on social media.
The bill makes exceptions if the animals are rescues, in rehabilitation or licensed for scientific research, or when it is in the animal’s best interests.
"A person may move a live cetacean from its immediate vicinity when the cetacean is injured or in distress and is in need of assistance," the bill states.
