The start of a dream; the start of a new beginning.

In less then a weeks time, the event that started vegetarianism and animal activism in general begins. That’s right boys and girl, the brutal seal slaughter in Newfoundland is back.

I’ve been given a whole lot of grief about this throughout the years, but it’s something that matters a great deal to me. It’s not an issue of vegetarians fighting for cute fuzzy animals, nor is it a matter of protesting for attention (as many like to tell me). The fact that as Canadians we live in a time where brutal happenings like this still occur fills me with rage.

Some common misjudged facts the government attempts to tell everyone:

1)      Every part of the seal that the hunters kill is used.

FALSE: In the commercial seal hunt, no part of the seal is consumed or eaten. The seal pelts are sold to fashion houses. Often at times they are left as waste to rot. Burberry is looking pretty good right about now eh?

2)      The hunt is there because there is a problem with seal overpopulation.

FALSE: If anything there is a severe shortage in the population. When European explorers landed on the East coast of Canada, there were an estimated 30 million seals. Between 1950 and 1970 it was estimated that the seal population had declined  to 2 million. This prompted the US government and European nations to ban the importation of seal products.  The Canadian government worked afterwards at population stability but in recent years has moved away from this in order to employ out of work fishermen. The reason behind this is false scientific logic and scapegoating the seals for a decline in the cod population. Cod were over fished which resulted a collapse in the Canadian fishery industry.  In 1999 a survey reported the seals to number above 4 million. This report was severely flawed.

3)      The hunt is necessary for fishermen (non-aboriginals to boot) to make their post winter earnings.

FALSE: If those fishermen require on average 300 dollars for a week’s worth of slaughter, then they should stick with government funding. In the past, they would make even less so the government would spend up to 20 million in subsidies. It’s not significant enough to call it a necessary trade.

4)      Government law states that only adult seals are allowed to be hunted. Implanted are the 3 necessary steps to be taken so the seal is killed humanely.

TRUE: But? These regulations ARE NOT FOLLOWED. Hundreds of videos online prove it. Defenceless pups being targeted, and skinned while still conscious. This my friends is why the seal hunt is so controversial.

Sure. Activists have a reputation to fight upon all grounds of animal rights. Often the seal hunt is related to slaughter housing because of the consumption and inhumanity. But fact is, the seal hunt is an old tradition gone wrong.

It is no longer necessary. It is not something Canada should be proud of. And it is not something that should be supported. Every year the protests get worse and worse, and more and more progress is made each year. With Italy being the last country to promote the ban, the UK and United States came before it.

Do YOUR part and simply fill in your name and email and click send. PETA has a ready made email template, with contacts in place. You just provide your name and email. You can make a differences.

https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?page=OnScreenThanks&id=2943&JServSessionIdr004=rz8v8nvvi2.app332a