Author Topic: Urge Canada's Prime Minister to put an end to the Cruel Seal hunt  (Read 7533 times)

Offline Newf Lover

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Fellow BPOers,

I know some of you live in Newfoundland and Labrador and disagree with this, but I'm going to post it anyway.

With more than 317,000 seals killed for their fur in 2005 alone - 98% of whom were babies under three months of age - Canada's harp seal hunt is the largest commercial hunt of marine mammals on earth. It is certainly the cruelest.

Although many Canadian citizens don't support the seal hunt, the fishing industry and the federal government have refused to end it. With the recent election of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, there is renewed hope that 2006 will be the last year that seals are clubbed and shot to death on Canadian ice for their fur.

More than 220,000 seal supporters have already pledged to boycott Canadian seafood, sending a clear message to a fishing industry that makes only 2% of its income from killing seals. In the months since the boycott was launched, more than 400 seafood wholesalers, restaurants, and grocery chains have pledged support for the campaign. Already, the value of Canadian seafood exports to the United States has declined by more than $150 million. More and more, the citizens of the world are showing their opposition to the seal hunt, as the growing success of the Canadian seafood boycott and the recent bans on seal products in Greenland and Italy show.  The hunt is not only cruel and inhumane -- it is economically unnecessary.

As Prime Minister Harper begins his term, we have an
unprecedented opportunity to influence the Canadian government and save hundreds of thousands of baby seals.

Please take action today to help end the cruel Canadian seal
hunts by going to the link below and sending an e-mail to Prime Minister Harper immediately.  Thank you!

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/harper_protectseals?rk=edaFC7p1SXEPW
« Last Edit: February 21, 2006, 07:27:37 pm by Newf Lover »
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Offline newflvr

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Re: Urge Canada's Prime Minister to put an end to the Cruel Seal hunt
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2006, 07:33:43 pm »
I've done it...I truly feel the only ones who should wear fur are those that are born in it! :D

Offline Newf Lover

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Re: Urge Canada's Prime Minister to put an end to the Cruel Seal hunt
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2006, 12:45:25 pm »
AC, you're completely entitled to your own opinion, but all you're basically saying is that you don't care if animals are brutally clubbed and skinned, only for their fur.  A true animal lover would be appalled by this practice and would at least sign a petition to stop it.  With the advances in textiles and clothing, there is no need to use animal fur any more.  Synthetic fur has been proven to be more durable and retain more heat than animal fur.  I don't know why the Humane Society did not attend the talks on the Seal slaughter, probably because it wasn't going to change anything.  The reason that protestors are so loud and rowdy, is because it's one of the ways to get people's attention.  When animals are being clubbed to death right in front of them, it's going to give rise to some emotions. The Propaganda machine as you called it, is there for a good reason.  It is one way to educate the public about cruelty towards animals. Like how live puppies and kittens are being used as shark bait in France, or how the Bush Meat trade in Africa is drastically reducing the primate populations, or how the Asian black market shark fin industry is catching sharks, cutting off their fins and throwing them back into the water alive, or how drift nets catch and kill EVERYTHING in their paths, and so on and so on. All of the Hunters and Fisherman I know, think all of these practices, including the Seal slaughter, are wrong.

The ignorance and apathy and empty arguments are why this sick practice continues.  It is also why many of the Earth's animals, like Rhinos and Sharks, are slowly disappearing.  Also, calling it a Seal "hunt" is laughable, they are walking up to them and beating them to death.  That's not hunting, that's "shooting fish in a barrel".  If you can give one reasonable argument for why this cruel slaughter should continue, and please don't say that it's the only way those "hunters" can make a living, I would like to hear it.  Educate me, open my eyes. 
« Last Edit: February 22, 2006, 01:22:37 pm by Newf Lover »
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Offline Rachel

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Re: Urge Canada's Prime Minister to put an end to the Cruel Seal hunt
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2006, 02:31:30 pm »
That being said ... if they hunters are after the fur, why do they kill the baby seals?  Wouldn't they want a seal that is larger and can produce more clothing?  And what about the meat?  I know that here, a lot of people hunt because it helps them afford to feed their families.  Is seal meat the same way?  Also, why can't the seal hunts be regulated?  We regulate the way in which you can kill a deer, why hasn't the same thing been done for seals?

Only baby seals have fur.  They start to loose their nice soft fur as they get older.
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Offline Newf Lover

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Re: Urge Canada's Prime Minister to put an end to the Cruel Seal hunt
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2006, 06:02:25 pm »
Jenn, I really hope you sign this petition.  Almost all of the seals being slaughtered are babies, some as young as 12 days old. Last year, The Humane Society of the United States documented the carnage firsthand and what they saw was shocking and disturbing. Most of these baby seals were cut open while they were conscious and still struggling. It's really sick and unnecessary, I'm getting upset just thinking about it right now.  I've seen videos and pictures in the past and they're just one of those things you wished you really hadn't seen, but at least you aren't ignorant about what's happening. 

Please BPO folks, if you're reading this and you have a heart, go to the link below and sign the petition.  It only takes a minute and it could mean so much.  Thanks!

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/harper_protectseals?rk=edaFC7p1SXEPW

« Last Edit: February 22, 2006, 06:15:50 pm by Newf Lover »
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Offline Nina

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Re: Urge Canada's Prime Minister to put an end to the Cruel Seal hunt
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2006, 06:21:41 pm »
First off I did sign the petition. I live in Canada and I know how much the fishing industry means to our country. I only hope that this does stop. The fur trade is not the only reason this is happening to the seals. They are also killing them because the seals eat a LARGE amount of fish. I could be wrong but I think this is the only reason the seal butchering is happening. If we had only not over fished to begin with we wouldn't have this problem. I think it is WRONG and has to stop now. I only hope that Harper will stop this and from what I have heard of him, he feels that the Atlantic provinces need to find new resources to make money from. Yes we do need to address the lack of fish in the Atlantic Ocean but to kill off all the seals isn't going to help any, causing the extinction of a species never helps, it just disrupts the eco system. Haven't we learned anything from the whale hunting? GRRR If more fish are needed start up fish farms, and stop over fishing!! This is just my opinion, I don't want to step on any toes. I do live in Alberta now, but my home is Nova Scotia, so I know know how important this industry is to us, but we all have to agree that changes need to be made. This can't go one. Causing a species to die out will not solve anything, and if this goes on the seals will die out.

Nina 
edited for spelling
« Last Edit: February 22, 2006, 06:23:58 pm by Nina »
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Offline Newf Lover

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Re: Urge Canada's Prime Minister to put an end to the Cruel Seal hunt
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2006, 06:31:01 pm »
First off I did sign the petition. I live in Canada and I know how much the fishing industry means to our country. I only hope that this does stop.

Thank you!  I will thank every person who does so.  I hope Canadians don't take this plight as a shot against Canada because I love Canada. I have had great experiences in Vancouver, Whistler and Vicoria and I don't blame the people of Canada for this slaughter happening. It's the Commercial Fishing Industry, like you said, that is causing this. I have relatives in Alaska who run fishing companies on the Kenai Peninsula and in Seward.  They conduct their business in a environmentall y responsible way, but they tell me that commercial fishing industry up there is causing irrepairable damage and totally overfishing the area!  When will it all stop?
« Last Edit: February 22, 2006, 07:04:27 pm by Newf Lover »
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Offline Newf Lover

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Re: Urge Canada's Prime Minister to put an end to the Cruel Seal hunt
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2006, 01:19:31 pm »
***BUMP***

Please sign folks if you haven't already, It's Important!  The Baby Fur Seals need our help.  Thanks!

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/harper_protectseals?rk=edaFC7p1SXEPW
« Last Edit: February 23, 2006, 01:20:33 pm by Newf Lover »
My Newfoundland Lives My Life As Passionately As I Live His.