We can and will stop the craziness
StoptheSealHunt.org
The annual seal hunt is now just a few days away. In the next few weeks, hundreds of thousands of baby seals will be clubbed or shot — an annual harp seal slaughter endorsed by the Canadian government. Scores of baby seals, some as young as three weeks old, will be beaten or shot and left to die. Many will be skinned alive…
All animals who live in arctic regions are already facing immediate danger and have daily struggles to survive because of global warming. We can’t afford to have these seal hunts continue.
Please do this right now
Join the fastest-growing online community fighting to end the seal hunt. Visit StoptheSealHunt.org to take action by joining in 300,000 protest voices and / or by donating.
And when you’re done, treat yourself to this amazing clip of beater seals playing on the ice…
ydxalid
After several minutes, with the wine until my shoulders. As.
Ms. Wakame
Thanks for doing your part Sally, and for handily providing a base letter others can use too. (Well, Im guessing that’s why you included it…)
Sally
I have no website, just letters suggesting a workable compromise for the Canadians that would make it worth it to their economy to keep the baby seals alive and thriving:
Sent to Prime Minister of Canada – 2008
As long as there are thoughtless, heartless narcissists who will wear the fur and others who need to earn a living by providing that fur and don’t think of the seals as sentient beings, we will have this horrid slaughter among us. …… BUT, …CAN YOU NOT FIND A WAY TO MAKE THE LIVING SEALS A SOURCE OF REVENUE thereby putting an end to the slaughter and making the baby seals PRIZED AND PROTECTED BY THOSE WHO NOW HUNT THEM? …. Surely for ECO-TOURISM, baby seals would be as powerful an attraction as elephants, giraffes and the big cats in Africa, ….. as polar bears in Churchill, ….. and certainly as adorable as pandas in China. .. Plus, saving the seals would make for MUCH BETTER PRESS FOR CANADA than the slaughter of such incredibly beautiful, helpless creatures for the sake of the almighty dollar. …………… Be a visionary in the 21st century by saving wildlife in their natural habitats for the millions of us who would rather see and enjoy these wonderful creatures alive rather than wearing them.
___________________________________________________
(Same suggestion following petition verbage below.)
4-3-09 Petition
Dear Senator,
I am writing to urge you to support Canadian Senator Harb’s efforts to end Canada’s cruel commercial seal hunt.
This hunt only continues to exist because it is propped up by government support and taxpayers’ money.
For years, the vast majority of Canadians and caring people worldwide have been calling for an end to the hunt and the time to act is now.
The animal welfare concerns associated with Canada’s commercial seal hunt are well documented. This hunt is unnecessary and economically unviable. The time has come to transition Canadian sealers into new and more rewarding industries that do not involve cruelty to animals.
Please use your power as a concerned citizen to fight for an end to this cruel and unnecessary slaughter.
The world is watching.
[PERSONAL SUGGESTION]
For several years I have sent your Prime Ministers’ offices suggestions about changing the seal hunt into an annual money-making Eco-Tourism event. The sealers could even be trained to take part in whatever areas of the project that interested them (the marketing possibilities are endless) with proceeds going to both the sealers and the government. The world would come to see your magnificent baby seals ALIVE AND THRIVING! Problem solved, money made by all and no cruelty to animals. You would just have to be conscientious and make sure no harm came to their environment; but it is do-able.
Sally Melancon
cajunrescue@att.net
985-385-9927
Louisiana
U.S.
Marty
I have to agree with Ms. Wakame that no creature should die by bludgeoning with a spiked club and not even have a fair chance of defending themselves or getting away.
I also appreciate the concern of Kevirr that the issue can suffer a loss of public support if it is seen as an attack upon local communities and seal-hunters. However, the films speak for themselves.
It is not about workers; It is about the cruelty of how these seals are killed, theier age and the fact that they are defenseless. It is NOT about tricking people with cute photos or pulling on heart strings.
I hope those who are beginning to understand the issue will let go of the callousness outlook if this is how they are feeling, and see what is really going on. Unfortunately, these hunts MUST be filmed so that people everywhere can have the opportunity to face the truth and make a change.
I hope Kevirr and folks who have a similar attitude will take a less negative and suspect approach to this issue and help make a change for the better. It’s not about the workers or wanting them to starve or have a loss of income; It is not about Paul McCartney. No one is going to represent the perfect image or have every answer but at least people can try their best and be authentic and be proud of trying.
Ms. Wakame
The picture I used of the seal for this post is just my favourite seal pic of all time. But I do see your point.
Personally though I don’t want to see or imagine any seal, grey, purple, white or spotty, adult or baby being bludgeoned with a spiked club en masse. The idea that they are babies and white doesnt pull on my heart strings any more than it would otherwise, but it is possible that Im alone in that. No creature should be allowed to die like that at the hands of any human, and that it would somehow be ok.
kevin
Isn’t that what I said? Albeit my plagarism from Wikipedia is a bit more front and centre now.
My point was more that, while I am ambivalent towards the seal hunt (live in Atlantic Canada), I do take issue with the use of the more photogenic whitecoat seals as the ‘poster seals’ for the anti-hunt movement. Granted it is only a two week difference (although usually sealers wait until 25 days have past and the seal is fully moulted and called a ‘beater’ for pelt purposes; coincidentally, the spring peak of the hunt is about two weeks long; the hunt itself, of course, goes from November to May, as that Wikipedia article also mentions).
I understand the tugging on heartstrings purposes of the cute whitecoat seals being slaughtered, but that image is simply no longer true. Personally, I am not a big fan of that deception, because unfortunately it leads to people being ill-informed about the seal hunt. I think that ultimately weakens the position of the anti-seal hunt side, making them look like they don’t know what they’re talking about (local media had a field day ripping into Paul McCartney when he didn’t know what province he was in last spring).
Personally, I think that the anti-seal hunt needs to go about this a different way, deflating the market as opposed to attacking the workers. The economic climate in Atlantic Canada is very precipitous at the best of times and it can’t be expected that people of the area would just turn their back on what amounts to a decent chunk of their income.
olivia
Wikipedia:
kevin
Something that should be noted: the commercial hunting of the bluebacks (baby hooded seals) and the whitecoats (baby harp seals, such as the one in the image above and the ones used so effectively in the video) has been banned in Canada since 1987.
Ms. Wakame
I didn’t know they were picky about the colour of the seal.
Cait
You can work at it, but part of the problem is that seal is the primary food of native peoples in Canada. Every time there’s an effort to stop the seal killing, the hue and cry goes up about racism and so forth.
Ms. Wakame
Thanks for your help Joe.
Joe
People have a knack for being cruel. Thanks for posting that Olivia so I can now try to take part in seeing it end.
nykki
if you really want to stop the insanity…stop wearing lipstick