Seal Slaughter Cruelty Continues in Canada
OTTAWA, Apr. 22 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Humane Society International Documents Suffering, Apparent
Violations of Marine Mammal Regulations at 2009 Seal Kill
On Tuesday, Humane Society International/Canada released new footage
conference with Senator Mac Harb, the first Canadian parliamentarian to
introduce a bill to end the seal hunt. Observers documented numerous cases of
extreme cruelty, including apparent violations of Canada's Marine Mammal
Regulations.
"The cruelty we filmed this year proves that the slaughter is as cruel
and inhumane it has always been," said Rebecca Aldworth, director of HSI
Canada. "We filmed seals being shot repeatedly in open water, seals cut open
as they appeared to respond to pain, injured seals left to suffer on the ice,
and wounded seals allowed to escape beneath the water's surface where they
endure a slow and painful death. It's time the Canadian government ends this
cruelty by buying back the sealing licenses."
Veterinary experts have repeatedly concluded Canada's commercial seal
hunt is inherently inhumane because of the environmental conditions in which
it operates and the speed at which the killing must be conducted.
"Despite its best efforts, the Canadian government simply cannot regulate
a commercial activity that is carried out in such dangerous conditions in
such a short time frame," said Senator Harb. "The derby style of the
commercial hunt means it will never be humane, and given the economic
realities of the cost of the hunt and the lack of markets for luxury seal
fur, it will never be profitable either. I have witnessed with my own eyes
the dangerous conditions and the shocking brutality of the hunt. The majority
of Canadians want the commercial seal hunt stopped for good."
Overwhelming opposition to commercial seal slaughter has led many
countries around the world to end their trade in seal products. Pelt prices
in Canada have plummeted this year to $15 CAD because of the lack of demand
-- a decline of 86 percent since 2006. Despite substantial government
subsidies, sealing contributes less than one half of one percent of the Gross
Domestic Product of Newfoundland and Labrador, and less than 2 percent of the
landed value of Newfoundland's fishery. Sealers are commercial fishermen who
earn, on average, well under 5 percent of their annual incomes from killing
seals.
Humane Society International/Canada is a leading force for animal
protection, representing tens of thousands of members and constituents across
the country. HSI/Canada has active programs in companion animals, wildlife
and habitat protection, marine mammal preservation and farm animal welfare.
HSI/Canada is proud to be a part of Humane Society International-one of the
largest animal protection organizations in the world, with more than ten
million members and constituents globally-on the web at hsicanada.ca
SOURCE Humane Society International/Canada
CONTACT: Camille Labchuk, +1-613-252-4570, clabchuk@hsi.org or Heather
Sullivan, +1-301-548-7778, hsullivan@humanesociety.org, both of Humane
Society International/Canada
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