Canada Kills Baby Seals and Exploits Humans

On March 21, 2008, Katherine Ryan wrote:

It is outrageous that this hunt continues despite so many people against this. It is hard to believe in the 21st century that something this cruel can continue and be justified. I think Canada is a disgrace to this planet and should be considered a third world country. There are humane ways to make a living and to say that this kind of act of unbelievable cruelty is necessary is just unbelievable! I don’t know how anyone with a conscience can sleep at night participating in this hunt or supporting it. Animals are capable of feeling pain whether they are lower life forms or not. I will never understand how any person can decide whose life is more important or more meaningful or form of life high or low. Leave these poor seals alone and get a real job!! It is disgraceful and shameful for a country to allow this. I know I am sick to death of hearing about it year after year. It needs to end!!!!!

On March 21, 2008, joyce turner wrote:

This is disgusting.
How would those involved like to be clubbed to death?

They are Barbarians.

[Blog editors’ note: It’s a grisly, monstrous issue and difficult not to project the idea of turning the tables on the seal killers. In truth, hurling insults at them hasn’t stopped the commercial kill. The Canadian government has escalated it, and the way out of this misery lies with prompting Canadians to take up the cause of influencing their government and residents to WAKE UP and call the whole thing off. ]

On March 21, 2008, Nichole wrote:

Seals are awesome. What have they ever done wrong to the people that are killing them. Every killing of an animal should be made illegal. People do not need fur. They need regular things. Animals need it so they can live in their weather climates. Seals are neat and they deserve a better life then being killed.

On March 21, 2008, Nancy wrote:

I am always amazed how non-vegans get outraged at others, whether it be a country or another human who has transgressed against their “cuddly animal” of choice.
The seal hunt is absolutely atrocious, but no less atrocious than the billions of calves, lambs, chicks, etc who are routinely murdered for food or in laboratories.

Whether they are lower lifeforms or not is not the issue. The issue is for flesh/flesh eaters/cows milk drinkers to realize that they are just as cruel and as accountable for the horrific short lives of the non humans they consume and wear.

On March 21, 2008, Olivia wrote:

I believe in this century there is an alternative to killing animals so, humans can survive. I understand that these people in this community say they depend on the killing of seals to survive but, to me there is another way than this. These seals and many other animals have suffered and been treated inhumanely-an end needs to come to this! We are priviledged to have dominion over these animals and need to use it in a positive way. The government should spend time developing ideas to help these people that doesn’t involve the killing of animals rather than spending the time killing them. In this day and age this should not be going on.

On March 21, 2008, Peter Kobel wrote:

Friends of Animals’ solution is the Holy Grail for all animal conservation: an end to the killing of other animals and alternative, sustainable livelihoods for the people involved in the slaughter.

On March 21, 2008, Meara Nigro wrote:

Clubbing defenseless baby seals to death for their fur is a barbaric way to earn a living. It is time for the Canadian government to end this cruel practice by providing unemployment benefits and job training to the few remaining people who still support themselves with this savage practice.

On March 21, 2008, Edita wrote:

Friends of Animals is taking a much needed holistic viewpoint on the Canadian seal slaughter, and I firmly believe that this is where the solutions are to be found.
As consumers, all of us should pay close attention to the impact our choices make on the environment and other living beings. Boycotting all fur and animal skins is a baby step to be taken to assure that seal pelts won’t have a profitable market.

On March 21, 2008, Lauren wrote:

I do not and will not EVER understand the sick joy people get out of killing animlas or hurting them. They have rights too! Who would want to hurt a poor animals? I hate the way the world works….

On March 21, 2008, Chris Drumright wrote:

There was a time when I wanted to visit Canada. Not anymore, at least not until these senseless deaths cease.
I know we have a lot of senseless animal death in America too, so I’m not trying to be a hypocrate.

It’s time for people to understand that a life is a life and not a commodity.

On March 21, 2008, Ilene wrote:

For the last at least 30 years, other animal welfare organizations have tried to end this slaughter for vanity. I find it hard to believe that after so many years and so much money donationed to help end this barbarity, the senseless killing continues.

I am beginning to doubt it ever will…perhaps the seals will have to become extinct before the killing for fur ceases. I certainly hope that FOA’s call for a town meeting in St. John’s will be a success for the seals and once and for all end the horror of this hunt.

On March 28, 2008, Robert Butterworth wrote:

Now the “lofty” and “civilized” Canadians have lost their grounding for moral oneupmanship so often used to look down their noses at Americans. Clean up your own house, Great White Northerners!

[Blog editors’ note: The silence is deafening, and Canadians apparently find residents of Canada more polite than U.S. residents. What on earth is that about? Why can’t we hear Canadians agitating against this abomination?

On April 1, 2008, Kalli wrote:

it is unessesary and inhumane. It is upsetting so many people. I am positive the EU will ban the sale of seal furs in europe, atleast they know what is right and what is wrong. Help us make our world a better place, for humans, and the beautiful wildlife that God so magnificently created. Dont help accumulate more evil in our world, there is too much already.

On April 1, 2008, shrenal wrote:

This is really harsh & and should not be accepted.

On April 1, 2008, carla wrote:

you should stop killing animals!!!. How would you like it if you were the animals??

On April 1, 2008, Steph wrote:

Animal cruelty is horrbile it’s just as important to stop it as it is to stop human cruelty!!! how would you like it if you were skinned alive for your skin!!!

On April 1, 2008, Irene R. Pousette wrote:

I have always loved Canada, and visiting it. But I feel so sad, when I read every year, of the killing of thousands of Baby Seals. It is about time the canadian government faces this issue, and do something about it. This kind of killing is not supposed to happen in a country like Canada, where its people are smart and hopefully caring. There is no way to justify something so atrocious as this. It is shmeful.

On April 1, 2008, jessica wrote:

I was planning to go visit a friend in Canada in May, 2008…
now I’m having second thoughts about the trip!

What can I do to help?

On April 2, 2008, bee wrote:

for the person who wanted the people in Canada to “get a real job” , well, sorry , honey - we all can’t be librarians. the jobs market in fisheries collapsed in Canada and the education system was not up to training people for technical jobs. I don’t think these people want to go out a club baby animals but they feel they have to feed their families and we need to be sympathetic to that. However, if there’s no market there’s no reason for supply. check who your leaders are. check last month’s Chicago magazine that showcased Ophrah’s and Michelle Obama’s favorite designer who uses primarily leather. Top designers and top role models use the most expensive leathers and fur trims. We can show them that we disdain this practice and we have to do it in a vocal yet respectful manner (I don’t condone attacking people and throwing things at them) We have to draw attention to their practices! WE need to conserve because i know at first hand that the Saudi’s and the other Arabs that are getting rich on us using oil are using this money to buy designer goods (while keeping their own people poor - but that’s another story)

On April 2, 2008, noor wrote:

It is outrageous that this hunt continues despite so many people against this. It is hard to believe in the 21st century that something this cruel can continue and be justified. I think Canada is a disgrace to this planet and should be considered a third world country. There are humane ways to make a living and to say that this kind of act of unbelievable cruelty is necessary is just unbelievable! I don’t know how anyone with a conscience can sleep at night participating in this hunt or supporting it. Animals are capable of feeling pain whether they are lower life forms or not. I will never understand how any person can decide whose life is more important or more meaningful or form of life high or low. Leave these poor seals alone and get a real job!! It is disgraceful and shameful for a country to allow this. I know I am sick to death of hearing about it year after year. It needs to end!!!!!

On April 2, 2008, Pamela Ruth wrote:

Mr Stavros Dimas
Commissioner for the Environment

European Commission

Rue de la Loi 200

1040 Brussels

Belgium

stavros.dimas@ec.europa.eu

Here is what I wrote to him:
(maybe you all could write to him, too!!)

Dear Commissioner,


I can’t seem to rest until I do something to affect a change, so I seek now, to contact the countries that the Associated Press recently stated are responsible for the sale/purchase/trade of the pelts and oil from the slaughtered seal pups of Canada.



There is no one, with an ounce of consciousness or conscience, that could see what is happening now in Canada and not be sickened by the needless brutality and senseless destruction of life. There is NOTHING humane about it.



The bloody free-for-all that is occuring in Canada right now is a direct result of The European Union ALLOWING the sale and import of pelts/oil from the baby seals’ merciless slaughter, and the Canadian officials who are permitting/condoning this extreme act of cruelty. Out of work fishermen should not be subsidized for bludgeoning innocent marine mammals and causing them agony.



You have, within your power, the means to end this travesty, once and for all. The media states that you are considering a ban on seal products for the EU by June 2008. Please don’t wait until June to make this decision; please stop this sadistic slaughter “dead in it’s tracks”, NOW!! This is not a “hunt”…moreover it is a senseless and cruel practice that must be shunned. In this day and age, mankind claims to be superior and enlightened, yet what others bear witness to, defies that logic.



These innocent creatures are not deserving of such horrific torture…..and no human being should benefit from their cruel slaughter.



We all need to take a step into a future, where cruelty is not accepted or tolerated.



Please let God guide your thoughts and actions and make a stand, here and now, to end the needless suffering inflicted upon, not only these seals, but on all species here on this delicate planet.



Let mankind begin to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. There are less fish, because man has overfished for too long!!! If this a “responsible” behaviour, I shutter to think of the alternative.



With prayer and hope,

On April 4, 2008, tater tot wrote:

the seal hunt is such a barbaric way of life and needs to be stopped now!!!

On April 4, 2008, Lianna wrote:

Good idea, the letter to the European commission. And boycotting travel to the country is even better. Hit em where it hurts: their wallet. What about the Canadian government and/or travel and tourism organizations? Would writing letters and sending petitions from people to let them know we’re boycotting travel and commerce with their country make any difference? I can’t believe the baby seal slaughter still goes on. It’s deplorable.

On April 4, 2008, dave wrote:

i personally have never seen somebody wearing seal fur. i travel between N.Y. and LA, so if it ‘s supossed to be the in thing, it’s not happenning there, and that’s where all trends are set.so my question is, are they really killing these animals for there fur, or are they just a bunch of drunkin idiots that find abusing animals fun.

this is a sick practice. anybody that supports this type of behavior should get a mental evaluation done. remember, if they take this type of anger out on a defenseless animal, it’s only a matter of time before they take it out on a human. it’s documented that most serial killers abused animals before they moved on to humans.so it might be a good idea to stop this now before it reaches that point. then we don/t have to hear somebody say “i told you so”.

On April 4, 2008, lina wrote:

Come on people are you serious its the 21 century and your still barbaric cave men, how cruel is it to club the defenseless creatures.

Think about it! God put animals on this planet for
us,but not to abuse them. Animals have never done anything to harm us — it’s the people doing the harm here.

On April 8, 2008, Fongjan Jirasit wrote:

What should we do to stop this crazy sport?

On April 8, 2008, Jim Freeburger wrote:

This whole excursion is one massive and horrific slaughter of poor, defenseless baby animals and is so disgusting that I can not even watch it. The government and the Canadian people are lackidaisical and oblivious when it comes to attempting to get some litigation started that will turn the government’s head and get them to stop this senseless massacre. The fact that it has gone on this long, leads to believe as apparently Canadians don’t want to see it stopped.

On April 8, 2008, Anje van der Naald wrote:

Express your outrage to:
The Honourable Loyola Hearn,

House of Commons,

Minister of Fisheries and Oceans,

Parliament Buildings,

Wellington Street,

Ottawa, Ontario

Canada K1A0A6

It is the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans that condones, encourages, and apparently subsidizes this savagery.

On April 30, 2008, Glen Tucker wrote:

[Blog editors’ note: The rant below is wrong on several levels, but here it is unedited, so that readers can see the fury used by commercial seal-killers to justify a shameful, deplorable slaughter of baby seals. And yes, Glen, they’re battered, shot and mutilated for the fur industry and that’s nothing about which to be proud.]

First of all I am sick and tired of all these articles saying that “baby seals” are being “Slaughtered”. When will you guys wake up and realize that no baby seals are being harmed during the hunt. How many times have we got to tell you this, Oh I get it with words like these in your article you can’t recruit people to your cause and then that means less “donations”. You animal rights groups are in it for the money just like the people hunting the seals for their fur, but you people are worse because you are brainwashing people into believing what you tell them.

What is hunted? Adult Harp seals, mostly and with 3-4 million of these animals still out there off the coast of Newfoundland in the North Alantic, I would hardly call it a “slaughter”, as the article repeats so often.
Furthermore, the hunters don’t club them to death they use guns to kill them. I know what goes on in a slaughter house and I believe that a seal is killed more humainly than what I seen in there. So, why are the baby cows not protected? or pigs? or chickens or baby chicks for that matter. Do you know what happens to a baby male chick born on an egg producing farm, well when they hatch and are found out that they are males and of course can’t produce eggs, guess what happens? they are killed and ground down and fed back to the chickens that are producing our eggs that we eat almost everymorning for breakfast. I don’t mind people being veggie eaters, but leave the rest of us alone who like meat.

I live in on Baffin Island in Canada and I see the Inuit people here wearing seal skin coats, pants, Caribou skins to keep them warm during the cold winter here and I don’t see anything wrong with it. I went Hunting last year on the Sea Ice with an Elder and he said that he was worried about the northern animals because the sea ice here is becoming less and less every year.
Why don’t all you people grow up and start worring about Global Warming or the homelessness in your country, Health Care, or some other worthwhile cause instead of bitching about a few seals or other animals being killed for our comsumpton and/or for their fur. Because if something is not done about that soon there will be no animals to worry about.

Glen Tucker/Hunter and supporter of the Seal Hunt.

On April 30, 2008, Glen Tucker wrote:

Oh! comments expressing our support of the Seal hunt is not posted, COWARDS!!!!!

[Blog editors’ note: Wrong again, Glen.
Bathe in it.]

On May 1, 2008, Dustin Rhodes wrote:

At the end of the day, whether a slaughtered seal is a baby or not isn’t what ultimately matters. It’s the fact that seals are killed. The fur industry—-the reason the commercial seal slaughter exists—-serves no meaningful purpose whatsoever, unless human vanity is taken into consideration.

It’s a sad and tired cliche that animal activists should be concerned with a host of other issues. In fact, many of us advocate for veganism and animals precisely because we are concerned with global warming, health care… Advocating for animals does not mean hating humans —- or being disinterested in issues that affect the human animal. The moral sphere can be bigger than that. And why shouldn’t it? The eco-system is vast and complex (and all of it, now, hangs in a precarious and dire balance). Respecting seals (and all other animals) is good for everyone.

Dustin Rhodes
Friends of Animals

On May 25, 2008, Bailey Randell wrote:

Hey ok i kno what your thinking that seals be beatin to death and you makes it sound really bad but your wrong. seals are nice animals and they do look cute.But you have to relize that people who kill these seals needs the money themselves for their survival.There are millions of seals out there and poeple hunting some of them is not going to hurt.I am a canadian and i do not like to see seals killed but i do think that they should be aloud to be hunted because they are a food source.If they are not hunted they only swim our waters eating our fish that we need.Alot of our fish has been destroyed and what is left of the cod we want.why dont you go against people killing them cute little bunnies with the big eyes. i think you guys needs to relize what is happening in the world.

On August 19, 2008, Sara wrote:

In response to some of the above posts:
1. I am a vegan, therefore I get to …moan as much as I want about the inhumane bullshit happening in Canada.

2. Moreover, if you honestly believe that this is humane, I challenge to you have about 10 kids and then club a few of them to death - who needs the extras?

3. I take back what I said before. Please don’t procreate.

On December 4, 2008, joey schlett wrote:

I think this is highly cruel what these people are doing to these seal pups i watched a video about the clubbing of the hooded seal it is very sad and i would like this to stop I will try my hardest to make it stop I cant do it myself but i’m sure other people agree with me that the killing of the hooded seal should stop immediately

On December 29, 2008, charlea addis wrote:

It makes me mad to think of people killing animals and the pictures are not nice. I feel like being sick when I look at them. So stop killing the animals and think about what it is doing to the world.

On January 12, 2009, pippy wrote:

everyone who is involved in this horrible sport is an idiot.
oh yeah that’s right. beat that seal killers!!!!!!