A swim-with-dolphins venue near Scottsdale set to open in July is drawing protests from animal-rights activists.

Dolphinaris Arizona plans to house a dozen dolphins in a million-gallon pool at a 35-acre entertainment venue under development at Loop 101 and Via de Ventura, according to news reports.

“This is not a show environment per se, this is an encounter so we will have those guests encounters for small groups or individuals,” Grey Stafford, Dolphinaris Arizona general manager, told Fox 10 News.

Dolphinaris Arizona is near the Butterfly Wonderland exhibit, which opened three years ago, and the Odysea Aquarium, set to open this summer. 

The entertainment venue is on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community east of Scottsdale east of the Salt River Fields baseball complex. 

AnimalPlex, which touts itself as an online resource to help pet enthusiasts connect, said more than 100,000 people have signed a petition opposing Dolphinaris Arizona and allowing people to ride and swim with dolphins at the venue.

A protest is planned at Dolphinaris Arizona on May 7.

Dolphins in a small environment can be harmful to people as well as the animals. The closed confinement, along with people in the same space, can make the dolphins bite, according to AnimalPlex. 

Dolphinaris, based in Mexico, operates five venues there that allow visitors to swim with dolphins.