The year was 1987. In the small fishing town of Amble, on the northeast coast of England, a wild bottlenose dolphin began to appear regularly in the waters, swimming alongside boats and leaping out of the water. The dolphin, named Freddie by the fishermen, soon attracted swarms of fans, each one hoping to catch a glimpse of the friendly animal. One man in particular formed a special bond with Freddie—Alan Cooper, an animal activist who frequently protested “dolphinariums,” or dolphin aquariums. The relationship, which Cooper called “one the greatest [experiences] of my life,” soon took a dark turn. A complaint made to local authorities claimed that Cooper had been molesting Freddie. One of the witnesses to the alleged act was Peter Bloom, the owner of the local dolphinarium. Rumors snowballed into news stories and court cases, and soon the salacious accusations were on the front pages of every tabloid. Thirty years later, Alan Cooper, Peter Bloom, and Amble locals share their versions of this bizarre story. —Paulina Prosnitz