Friday, March 23, 2007

Protest Canada's Seal Hunt

I won't make this post wordy. (In reality, this isn't a subject I can talk about without having a complete emotional breakdown.) In about a week, the slaughter of baby seals will begin in Canada. Last year, over 350,000 seals were brutally clubbed to death. Most of these seals are babies who are too young to know to run away from human beings. By the time they realize they're in danger, it is too late.

Please make your outrage and protest known to the Canadian government and spread the word. Some of the most effective things you can do include: boycotting Canadian seafood and restaurants and stores that sell it, refusing to wear fur and leather products, and signing pledges of protest.


Humane Society Information and Boycott Pledge
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/protectseals/

IFAW's 300,000 actions for 300,000 seals campaign
http://www.stopthesealhunt.com/site/c.ihKPIWPCIqE/b.2558507/k.B299/Stop_the_Seal_Hunt__300000_Actions_for_300000_Seals.htm

PETA Information and Petition Site
http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/seal_hunt07/

One of the best ways to learn more about what goes on is to go to
YouTube and search the phrase "seal hunt." There are many dedicated activists and organizations taking the time, effort, and risk to make videos exposing the cruelty.

Let's band together and maybe this unbelievably barbaric and unnecessary practice will end in our lifetimes.

UPDATE 3/24:
I think it's important to educate ourselves on both sides of the issue, even if we ultimately decry the hunting of the seals. Here's a good website that brings together some links that could be described as "pro" seal hunt: http://www.harpseals.org/hunters/index.html

It's always helpful to be well-informed, so we don't come off as "hysterical" activists.
Oh, one last point, which may be controversial to some. While I really appreciate what most animal rights groups do in defense of the seals, I don't give money directly to their anti-seal hunt campaigns. I feel that these campaigns often exploit the cuteness of the baby seals and are otherwise way too sensational. That is just my personal opinion, and I do make donations to various animal rights groups at other times of the year. I'd love to hear everyone else's comments and opinions!

The above photo is a baby harp seal. Here is a photo of a hooded seal, another species that gets hunted. I think non-baby seals are just as deserving of protection, don't you?


Image courtesy of: http://www.newsday.com/other/special/naturalworld/


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58 comments:

laura k said...

You're right--it's a heartbreaking thing to think about. But thanks for posting. I'm about to peruse these links that you've provided...

Amey said...

Bazu,
Thanks for posting about this. I'm going to look into these links. This situation is so freakishly disgusting, it's just unimaginable. Totally totally unimaginable.
xo

KleoPatra said...

Bazu, thank you. I've been all over this all over the internet for a while and i'm thankful you posted about this. It is so heartbreaking and frustrating and awful in every way... it saddens me so incredibly to think of the pain of these amazing animals... sometimes, Bazu, i really don't like people. i'm sorry to say that, too...

urban vegan said...

Sickening. This depresses me every year. And sometimes I wonder if they go by the "no PR is bad PR" rule, becuase they get so much coverage and nnothing ever changes. I hope this year it does. Thanks for raising awareness.

Unknown said...

Yes, thanks for posting links for this and raising awareness. The pro-sealing lobby is very powerful and very persuasive in Canada, which is part of the reason nothing happens. The government pays to provide counter-protesters with an opportunity to protest, and they dress it up as an issue of Canadian sovereignty vs. foreign interference. Paul McCartney's visit especially was given a "rich Paul McCartney vs. Canada's impoverished communities" spin. They even work a strong environmental angle, suggesting that McCartney and other celebrity protesters waste a tremendous amount of fossil fuels when they could spend their energy at home protesting other, larger abuses against animals. It's depressing all around.

MeloMeals said...

thank you for posting this.

laura k said...

I saw your update and wanted to comment. I agree that the anti-seal hunt campaigns do play off of the cuteness of baby harp seals for the purpose of advancing their cause. I don't know if I would avoid donating to their cause because I believe it is an important one--but when I have the opportunity to make my voice heard, I would advocate fighting for all seal slaughter to cease--not just the cute ones! I think in a way, though, using the "cuter" animals can be a good way for animal rights groups to reach people who otherwise may not care much about animal rights issues at all. I'm taking an endangered species conservation class, and we have talked about similar issues--people are much more willing to rally behind saving the panda, etc. when there are other endangered species that are more crucial to ecosystem preservation, but are not as "cute" as the panda. I don't know if it's right or not to use a furry face as the posterchild for your cause, but if it raises awareness among the general public, then maybe it's not so bad! Whew, thanks for sticking with me on that ramble! :)

Emmy said...

Thanks for the heads up about this. And in regards to your comment about the hooded seal, I couldn't agree more about the need for animals to be protected regardless of their "cute" factor. BTW, I think both seals are cute but you know how the general population at large thinks...

Carrie™ said...

Every year I get so sick over this. It's gotten to the point where I just can't see anymore photos or read anymore about it. I do sign petitions and write my MP who sends back patronizing responses. (I didn't vote for him) & I wrote to the Prime Minister but heard nothing. Big surprise. The fisheries minister is an ass and I don't know what has to be done to make this stop. Seal hunting was banned for a while, but then it took up again, quietly and continued for some time before it came back into the limelight. The hunters go on & on about way of life, families to feed, no jobs, etc. I say, move. Go somewhere where you can get a job that doesn't involve killing. I had to move away from my hometown for work. A lot of us do. Is the Canadian government going to let this continue on and have a fiasco like they did with the cod fishing in Newfoundland? Thank you Bazu for posting this. If we don't keep talking and protesting, then for sure nothing will get done. Hopefully, someone in the government who cares enough will finally put an end to this.

scottishvegan said...

Thanks for posting this Bazu. I had already signed the PETA petition, but will go and have a look at the other sites now too.

Jody from VegChic said...

I'd already signed a couple of these petitions, but signed the new one (to me) you posted as well.

It is sometimes hard to imagine that there is such a dichotomy within humanity. Seriously, how could anyone treat another creature like that.

It is important to make people aware, so that they can try to make a difference. Thank you!

aTxVegn said...

It's hard to believe this is still going on. It's utterly barbaric and repulsive.

Tofu Mom (AKA Tofu-n-Sprouts) said...

It amazes me every year, the complete lack of compassion that fellow humans are capable of.

My daughter has a great activist/anti-seal-hunt tee-shirt (with a cute baby seal, I admit) that has sparked so many discussions - people really do NOT know what's going on right in front of them (or in our case, what's happening with our neighbor to the North)

village mama said...

Thanks for reminding me to do something about this - sad time to be Canadian :(

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

thanks for posting about this heart breaking issue.

Anonymous said...

You're right--it's a heartbreaking thing to think about. thanks for the info. and the links.

Kati said...

It sickens me and breaks my heart to think that the population at large allows such barbaric acts to continue (then again, look what's on their dinner plates). Thank you for raising awareness.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this. It is terrible. On some Norwegian site they wrote it is because they are trying to keep balanced ecosystem. Well, the ecosystem was balanced until humans begin to devastate everything around. :(

Anonymous said...

I am just a kid. Let me just say that this is disgusting. Everything about it is disgusting. The people, the idea, and what they do to the seals. They hit seals with hakapicks. That is the most barabaric, vile, nasty...now I need to use Mirriam Webster- Revolting, obscene, DIRTY!

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

omg. who the hell can kill something and not feel bad. what do they do to anyone?
ppl who beat things to death should be beaten with clubs and see how they like it.
I wouldn't be the one doing that though..... I don't like hurting things or people.

Anonymous said...

yea i know..the environment was PERFECT until all us evil bloodthirsty damaging humans came along and ruined it..i mean..why cant those stupid people up there leave the poor seals alone?? Sure they'd all starve to death..probably the chidren first..but who cares?? SAVE THE SEALS!!

bazu said...

Hi anonymous!

I don't know if your comment is sarcastic or not... but just in case it isn't, I just want to clarify for you that I wasn't talking about a perfect environment before seal clubbing came along. I do think that currently, the seal hunt is a cruel, outdated, and unnecessary ritual, and that the people who try to make a living out of clubbing seals are, indeed, stupid. They participate in a blood sport, and from what I know, don't even make good profit from it. I think arguments that seals are killed or "culled" to protect the environment are laughable- anyone who thinks seal hunters are out to protect anything other than their pockets are seriously misguided or partisan.
Thanks for your visit.

Anonymous said...

what they do is barbaric this has to end now SAVE THE SEALS

Anonymous said...

Sustainable humane hunting should be allowed. A blanket ban for an animal as prolific as the seal is meaningless.

All said and done we humans are in no position to play God by trying to maintain the complex balance of the ecosystem.

JEANNE ILLENYE said...

I WANT TO ADD MY VOICE TO STOP SEAL HUNTING! Other than donate money to HSUS, PETA, etc. and sign their petitions, what can we do? Just keep doing that I suppose. It's such a helpless feeling. Oddly, I'd somehow thought this was over in the 1980's for some reason, and was horrified to learn that it still continues -- and to such insane quantities of animals, like a pile of rubble! MY GOD IN HEAVEN!!! WHY the worship of $$. Clearly there is no other motivation. I can't imagine the politicians still approving of this if told to hold a club in their hands and go out there and bang on those precious animals -- cute or otherwise --they're living, breathing, creatures who feel emotions and pain and agony. Skinned alive, beaten and some sadly escape in agony... incomprehensible. I'm a peaceful person but in the sight of this I want to say perhaps the clubs should be turned on them? What defective human spirit can do such things? It's beyond comprehension and I'm sick....

Anonymous said...

I'm just curious how many commenters actually live in a community where the seal hunt brings in much needed income. The Inuit hunt for seals has been going on for time immemorial. What right does anyone have to tell Inuit what they should or shouldn't do.? If you truly want to get involved in your cause I would invite people to come up to my community of Arctic Bay, Nunavut and get to know the people here rather than rant and rage from the safety and security of suburbia.

bazu said...

Way Way Up, while I have never visited Nunavut, I could still see and judge certain facts, even if I lived in suburbia, which I don't.

There is a myth that the seal hunt in Canada is for subsistence, and that individual hunters get essential food or income because of it. I know that those who benefit most from the seal hunt are corporations who make money from seal pelts or other non-essential products. The image of the lonely indigenous hunter bringing home a seal or two to feed his family for the winter is just a myth in today's age of commercialization and corporate profiteering. I think the solution for any community in economic peril rests in exploring new opportunities to get educated and earn income, and nothing excuses cruelty or barbarity, two things that the annual seal hunt exemplify.

Anonymous said...

To Waywayup:
I don't know who you are or what you do but I know one thing...you all need to find another place to live where a civilized population resides and can find other decent, respectable means of earning a living. There is absolutely no reason on in heaven or on God's good Earth to do what they are doing. Perhaps if we turn the tables on them and skin them alive, impale them on poles while still alive, etc. as they are currently doing to these helpless, HARMLESS animals then perhaps you and they will understand what a shameful mortal sin this is. The world is watchng and weeping. You people don't deserve to be called human.

Anonymous said...

Live from the Ice:
Rebecca's Journal
Bearing Witness >>
March 29, 2008 - 11:59 p.m.
Today I saw defenseless baby seals slaughtered without mercy on Canada’s ice floes. It is with a very heavy heart that I write this, following eight unbearable hours of bearing witness to the slaughter.
I understand why the Canadian government has fought so hard to stop us from observing the hunt this year. While my government is busy telling the world that this year’s slaughter will somehow be more humane, we have proved today it is the same hunt we have always filmed.
This is my 10th year bearing witness to Canada’s commercial seal hunt, and nothing has changed -- the killing is every bit as cruel as it has ever been. I did not see one sealer follow the supposedly new three-step killing process, and many sealers failed to even check to see if seals were dead prior to impaling them on metal hooks and dragging them across the ice floes.
I watched helplessly from above as, one by one, the seals were brutally clubbed, stabbed with hooks, and dragged across the ice as they struggled. There are few words to describe how hard it was to see the same pups we filmed just days ago meet such a barbaric end. ...Read more at www.hsus.com

Anonymous said...

Copy and paste this link to actually see what happened today:

https://community.hsus.org/humane/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=22005669

Anonymous said...

You are all extremely ignorant.

Hunting and killing baby seals has been illegal for more than twenty years. These animals are killed for income, and to keep the population from growing to an uncontrollable level.

The seal population has grown massively in the past 30 years. The Newfoundland cod stocks (the main industry for years, until the moratorium) cannot recover if there are too many seals! They eat a lot of cod.

Also, more than 80% of these animals are SHOT with a rifle, and if they are not dead at that point they are then clubbed.

Wildlife foundations have researched the "clubbing" method with the use of a hakapik, which is what most of you would normally call a club. Research proves that it a humane way of killing a seal.

I am from Newfoundland. My Canadian province has been doing this hunt for years. It is tradition and it has been increasingly monitored by the coast guard and DFO officers just to please you doubters.

I'm sorry to tell you, but this argument is pointless. The seal hunt is a sustainable industry.

Why can't you people help stop something more important like the current war in Iraq, cutting down of the rain forest, the current situation in Darfur, child labour, etc.

- Mike

Anonymous said...

www.hsus.org

WATCH IT AND WEEP.

YOU PEOPLE ARE SICK.

YOU'RE FULL OF IT IF YOU THINK ANYONE BUYS INTO YOUR HICK WAY OF THINKING. THIS IS BARBARIC! YOUR SO CALLED "FACTS" ARE NOT ACTUALLY AT ALL AND HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE UNTRUE -- ONLY STATEMENTS FROM PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO THINK THEY'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING BUT WHO ARE QUITE SIMPLY HEARTLESS, IGNORANT, ARROGANT, FOOLS...LIKE YOU.

Anonymous said...

Well, Mike, actually you’re wrong. Here are the facts, which have been proven and published.

1. Hunting —- there is no “hunt” — these babies and mothers are captive on the ice, babies who have not yet had their first swim, and mothers who are caring for them.
2. There is no overpopulation of seals. They are multiplying to compensate for their destruction by sea life and the escalating, disproportionate destruction by humans.
3. These seals are not killed for income. These murders/abusers are fishermen who kill and torture on their off season and get less than 5% of their annual income from it.
4. These seals are killed and tortured solely for their fur to be sold to China, Russia and Norway.
5. These helpless animals are NOT shot. Never were. If they were it would be more humane, but they are being skinned alive, impaled on pole hooks while alive, beaten and left alive.
6. Yesterday I watched as one new mother trying to protect her baby was hit on the face, and with one eyeball hanging out, looked up at her abuser as if to say, “Why are you doing this to me?” These are the very same mothers and baby pups who just last week scurried to humans from the HSUS and other advocates, curiously mimicked their head gestures, blinked their eyes in synchronization with theirs, and then fell asleep side by side with these humans laying next to them. This is all documented on video tape which you can watch at www.hsus.org
6. Currently, as also documented on video tape, these very same docile, curious, friendly animals are now being tortured as it shows on video tape, by being impaled on pole hooks while alive, and dragged across the ice floes while they scream and squirm with crushed skulls and pole hooks inserted into their guts! GOOD GOD, MIKE, WHO ARE YOU KIDDING!!! It’s on video tape!
7. These killers/torturers are violating all three of the rules of humane killing that were set up this year, which is why the public has for the first time not been granted permits to actually be on the ice. That is why Rebecca and her team are watching and documenting the merciless destruction of these harmless seals. Read Rebecca’s Journal: “Bearing Witness” which is available also with live video at www.hsus.org Also, the killers were instructed not to kill the seals whose fur was still white, but they are killing them.
8. hese killers were supposed to follow the three step process for merciful killing but they are not. These helpless, trusting animals are being abused beyond belief.
9. These killers have also attacked Rebecca’s team while they sat in their vehicles video taping these killers, they destroyed the HSUS vehicles with their clubs.
10. There is no cod stock reduction as a result of seals. Cod stock reduction has been proven to be resultant from overfishing. Simple. Proven. More cod is being removed from the ocean in one day than people took for an entire season just 20 years ago.
11. Clubbing has never been found to be humane under any circumstances by anyone, anywhere.
12. There is no “tradition” in violence, killing and torturing animals—only perversion.
13. There are many issues in the world to change, but this destruction of helpless mothers trying to protect their newborn pups in such incredible magnitude and with such violent, horrid, torturous means and for no purpose has gone down in history as the single worst betrayal of wildlife and the precious gift we've all been granted together...life.

JEANNE ILLENYE said...

There are a variety of things you can do to let Canadian leaders know that the seal hunt must stop. Please visit humanesociety.org/marine_mammals/protect_seals/protect_seals_what_you_can_do/ for even more actions you can take to end this horrific slaughter of harp seals.

1. Go to protectseals.org and sign the pledge to boycott Canadian seafood. Print out the Pocket Guide to Boycotting Canadian Seafood (available through our website).

· Sealing is an off-season activity for a few thousand commercial fishermen; only about 5% of their incomes come from sealing.

2. Thank businesses who have joined the boycott. For a list of these restaurants, go to RestaurantsForSeals.org. You can also contact businesses, who are not on the list, and ask them to help protect seals by limiting or eliminating Canadian seafood. You can print out a PDF version of our pledge for seafood professionals by going to humanesociety.org/web-files/PDF/seals/BoycottPledgeFeb2006.pdf.

3. Contact Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper
Prime Minister's Office
Right Honorable Stephen Harper
80 Wellington St.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A OA2
613-992-4211
Fax: 613-941-6900
Email: pm@pm.gc.ca or Harper.S@parl.gc.ca
Fax: 202-682-7701, 202-682-7678
canada@canadianembassy.org

4. Write, fax, e-mail, or call the nearest Canadian embassy. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you can look up the Canadian embassy in your nation. The contact information for the embassy in Washington, D.C., is below:

The Honorable Michael Wilson
Office of the Ambassador
Canadian Embassy
501 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-682-1740
Fax: 202-682-7701, 202-682-7678
Email: canada@canadianembassy.org

5. Don't vacation in Canada. Write to the Canadian Tourism Commission and the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Office to explain why you've made this decision.

Canadian Tourism Commission
Four Bentall Centre, Suite 1400
1055 Dunsmuir Street, Box 49230
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V7X 1L5
604-638-8300
E-mail: Use the Contact Us form on www.canadatourism.com

Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism
P.O. Box 8700
St. John's, NL Canada A1B 4J6
1-800-563-6353
Email: tourisminfo@gov.nl.ca

6. Tell Canada’s Minister of International Trade, David Emerson, that the seal hunt damages Canada's international reputation, and remind him that it has resulted in ongoing global boycotts of Canadian seafood and tourism. Say that a hunt opposed by most Canadian citizens shouldn't be allowed to harm Canada's economy.

Minister of International Trade
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1A 0G2
613-992-7332
Fax: 613-996-8924
Email: emersd@parl.gc.ca

7. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper protesting the seal hunt.

8. Contact designers who use seal fur and skin and ask them to stop providing a financial incentive for the seal hunt. For a list of designers who use seal fur, go to humanesociety.org/marine_mammals/protect_seals/designers_who_use_seal_fur.html.

You can also sign the fur-free pledge and join the more than 115,000 people who have pledged not to wear fur or fur trim (https://community.humanesociety.org/campaign/furfreepledge_jay).

9. Give a donation to support the efforts of The HSUS/HSI to stop Canada’s slaughter of seals (protectseals.org).

10. Tell everyone you know about the seal hunt, and ask them to:

a. Visit protectseals.org

b. Sign our pledge to boycott Canadian seafood

c. Contact the Canadian government to demand the hunt stop

11. Download materials from our on-line Action Toolkit to educate others about the ProtectSeals campaign. To access these materials, go to protectseals.org and click on the “Action Toolkit” link located near the top, center of the page.

12. Download a PDF of our ProtectSeals brochure and leave copies in public places. To download the brochure, go to protectseals.org and click on the “Action Toolkit” link located near the top, center of the page. Once you are taken to the Action Toolkit, click on the “Download the information brochure” link located under the first section titled, “Boycott Canadian Seafood.”

13. Wear our seal apparel and tell others why you are wearing it. Shirts are available through the HSUS/HSI online store at humanedomain.org, and also through protectseals.org.

Thank you, again, for contacting The HSUS/HSI to learn more about what you can do to end the Canadian seal hunt.

As Rebecca Aldworth, the director of Canadian Wildlife Issues, noted in her 2005 e-journal after documenting the hunt, “Our role here is to speak on behalf of those who cannot. And these seal pups are in desperate need for our voices.” We appreciate you helping us to speak out on behalf of the seals.

For more updates on our work and live footage from the ice, please visit protectseals.org.

Sincerely,
Audrey Adams

Interested in taking action online to help animals? Then join our online community! Go to:

https://community.hsus.org/humane/join

Anonymous said...
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bazu said...

Hi guys,

I would ask that you all please keep your comments civil, free from personal attacks and profanities.

Thank you.

Innochka said...

bazu,
I'm glad that you use this part of your blog to call attention to this barbaric practice.

I want you know, you are not alone in the world with this.

28 March 2008. VOSTOK MEDIA – Disregarding public protests, several vessels put to the White Sea to hunt for baby seals.
There are no serious economic grounds for continuation of the hunting for white-coat seals. The barbarian industry greatly damages the image of Russia viewed as an uncivilized nation in the eyes of the international community, Radio Baltica reports.
Rospotrebnadzor (the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare) repeatedly proposed to give up the hunting for white-coat Greenland seal, but the proposal hasn’t yet been realized.
http://www.vostokmedia.com/n2666.html

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

This is a global issue: animal rights are being violated, animals are being abused, animals are being tortured -- it involves me -- it involves everyone with a respect for life, with self respect, with intelligence and perspective of the whole picture, with a conscience, with the knowledge of what's right and wrong, with love in their hearts, not hatred. It involves me because the torturers and their supporters have become numb to what you all knew once in your hearts, that a this is wrong. You know it but you've buried that compassion that makes us human. We have a responsibility on this planet, in our lives to do good, to be respectful and peaceful and helpful. What these people are doing is in direct violation of all that I believe, so yes, it involves me equally as much as it should involve you in attempting to correct a grievous, incomprehensible wrong. I truly wish you could see the difference but obviously you and the torturers whose actions you condone, have lost the word "humane" from your lives. Our planet is no longer small and people who do these things can no longer keep it hidden. If you don't like that we now see what you've done and are currently doing, then quite simply, stop doing it.

JEANNE ILLENYE said...

Oops, I just responded to Mike and see his comment was deleted. Mike, I do hope you read my comment. I truly hope you one day find that which you were born with, peace in your heart that grows from compassion, and reverse your ways and recognize that this is truly, truly wrong. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Seals are just too cute NOT to kill

If i could afford to have all my clothes made out of baby seal skin i would...

Anonymous said...

Well...maybe we should kill everything that's cute, huh? How about you...are you cute? Let's get at ya! Let's skin you alive, let's impale you on a hook while you scream and squirm with blood gushing out of your gut in agony!! Is THAT CUTE!!!!???

TheSlyOne said...

Dear Anonymous,

I'd like to pick your "facts" apart, but first I'll critically evalute both your position and that of the SEALERS.

SEALERS:

I'll start off by saying I am not fully aware to the extent that mothers with pups are beaten. While I too am against this, I should point out that I'm only doing so out of a sustainability standpoint. Obviously you need pups for the seal population to survive, so with that said it's imparative that they remain alive.

The sealers were wrong to attack Rebecca's ship at the protesters. However, you must understand where they're coming from if you are to judge them so harshly. For example, I wouldn't be very happy if you and others watched me do my occupation and critisize me for it 24-7.

YOU:

"3. These seals are not killed for income. These murders/abusers are fishermen who kill and torture on their off season and get less than 5% of their annual income from it.
"
So in otherwords these seals are killed for income. Do you know the avergage income of the families killing these seals? Apparently not so your statement is meaningless. 5% extra income means a great deal. For me that's $2000 (40000/yr), which is substantial.

"
4. These seals are killed and tortured solely for their fur to be sold to China, Russia and Norway."

Not true. Seals are actually eaten as well. Again, you have no basis for your argument.

MY OPINION:

How are fish killed? They suffocate or are smacked against something hard. Blood runs down them their guts fall out etc.

Why aren't we stopping the brutal fish kills? In fact fish killing is is far more widespread that of seal killing. In retrospect, seal killing is not such a big deal.

If seal hunters are "killers", then what about farmers? The amount of cattle killed in North America by itself dwarfs the amount of seals that are killed in Newfoundland.

It all comes down to your emotional attatchment to how something looks. "If it looks cute lets save it". That statement by itself is discriminatory to other organisms.

Why don't you people carry your concerns to species that are actually endangered? How about great white sharks for example?

CONCLUSION:

1.If the sealers are not abiding by the law in terms of killing these seals then they should be punished (ie not killing them in a "humane" way).

2.If scientific evidence suggests clubbing them (as mike stated)is a humane way of putting them down then you are wrong to critisize sealers. However, I have not looked into evidence of this yet so it may not be true.

3. If they are killing seal pups illegally then they should be punished.

4. If your're trying to end the seal hunt all togeather then you are wrong and what you stand for is misinformed and illogical.

There are much bigger issues out there than this.

TheSlyOne said...

"The sealers were wrong to attack Rebecca's ship (WITH) the protesters."

I should probably check these over first haha.

Anonymous said...

Well, i lived in St.John's for 2 years, and Goose-Bay for another 2 and to be honest most of the people in the hunt need it to make a living. The hunt might need a little more regulations, but if you want to call these people heatless monsters try living with them for awhile and you'll see that they're just trying to make it in the world the same as you and me.

Anonymous said...

You're not kidding anyone...these are fishermen who earn a few dollars per animal on their off season! There is no sympathy for people who commit these crimes of abuse and torture. The world if full of places to live...and earn a respectful living. Earning a living is not what they are doing as you well know. Again, they are well paid fishermen who get a few dollars for each of these poor, helpless mothers and babies they brutally abuse and then leave them to die...all for the fashion industry.

JEANNE ILLENYE said...

To Theslyone,
I am sorry I am only now reading your note. You are indeed misinformed. First of all, calling these abusers something nice like "sealers" is not accurate -- it implies something much nicer. Call them what they are, animal abusers,torturers, murderers. There is no tolerance for this. Period. There is no excuse for this. Period. Gone are the false images of a lone fisherman killing one seal to feed his family for the winter. This is the 21st century. The world is small. We see the horror. We see the violations not only of law, but much more importantly, the violations of respecting fellow living, breathing, feeling, caring creatures. Addressing other animal rights issues is irrelevant in this particular forum, although I'm glad you brought it up because people need to stop driving this force behind all the animal abuse. All animals deserve the right to life as God intended. Eating animals is not necessary and should be eliminated. Severely torturing them and leaving them to die whether it be on a butcher's hook or on a fisherman's hook or in this case, a new mother with her head partially beaten in and one eyeball hanging out, helpless as she hears her baby wail while she's being skinned alive. Dear GOD, W-H-Y !!???? Please, there is absolutely NO NO NO excuse for this...not your so called $2,000. NOTHING can condone this. Nothing.

Anonymous said...

Lets start hunting the people who hunt these seals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

DO NOT KILL SEALS!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

THIS IS RETARDED!!!! Is it even possible to eat a seal or do they just skin it and leave it there to suffer in agonizing pain? HUH!?!?!? I can't wait til there is world peace...wait no nevermind

Unknown said...

so true no seal at all should be clubbed i don't know how they can even kill something so innocent

Anonymous said...

I think its just dumb to kill baby seals and pushing this innocent creature through extinction,it really makes you think what this world is coming to.And when i grow up im going to work hard to make sure every animal is located in a safe and livable enviroment. And anybody else whos willing to help save this planet from the extinction of seals or whatever please all you need to do is volunteer just help this planets animals.

JEANNE ILLENYE said...

I agree with you, Rachel! God help us if we don't help our precious Earth and her inhabitants! It is our duty. Afterall, human is derived from humane...we should act like we deserve the name! I do hope you become a wonderful advocate for animals one day! It's good to know we have you and other youth inspired to help! Thank you. Jeanne

Anonymous said...

the murder of the young and babies. it sounds identical to abortion. i dont know what others think about abortion but its awful ecspecially when the baby iss out in the world and breathing and then someone goes and hits it over the head to kill it. this seal hunt just brings more horror into the world to show how cruel the human race can be. that animal is alive and has a beating heart,THE SAME AS ANY OTHER ANIMAL OR HUMAN! i am completey into this protest. but this should be broadcast as much as possible, effort is better than nothing. to tell you the truth, i didnt even know about this till today cause i was looking for a pic of a seal and i found this blog, it's incredibly sad that this ''HUNT'' could even happen

Anonymous said...

the murder of the young and babies. it sounds identical to abortion. i dont know what others think about abortion but its awful ecspecially when the baby iss out in the world and breathing and then someone goes and hits it over the head to kill it. this seal hunt just brings more horror into the world to show how cruel the human race can be. that animal is alive and has a beating heart,THE SAME AS ANY OTHER ANIMAL OR HUMAN! i am completey into this protest. but this should be broadcast as much as possible, effort is better than nothing. to tell you the truth, i didnt even know about this till today cause i was looking for a pic of a seal and i found this blog, it's incredibly sad that this ''HUNT'' could even happen

Anonymous said...

I believe that anybody who kills an animal for no reason should die themselves. I mean these are just helpless animals who really don't do anything to hurt people. They don't deserve to die. Plus they are so cute and adorable. They take your breath away.

Anonymous said...

If this is so then why not have people do a protest you have actors and singers from there granted i am from the states but hey i fight my cousin from Alaska about this stuff all the time. As one we are nothing as a group we are strong and can do what ever it takes to stop this kind of thing