Help Stop the Massive Seal Hunt!

[jp'swife]

Since this is 'news', I thought I could post it here.

Canada’s annual seal hunt is the largest commercial slaughter of marine mammals on the planet. It’s also the cruelest. In late March, fishermen in the North Atlantic will invade the ice floes to club and shoot baby seals, just to earn a few extra bucks by selling seal skins. Many of these seals are utterly defenseless. Last year, 98.5% of the seals killed were two months of age or younger. Veterinary reports indicate that many seals have been skinned while still conscious and able to feel pain. This year, the ProtectSeals team will expose the world of cruelty that takes place on the ice floes.

Click here: http://www.hsus.org/ for more information and to contact the Prime Minister.
Or click here: https://community.hsus.org/campaign/protectseals to sign the pledge to boycott all Canadian seafood until the hunt is over for good.

Thanks in advance!

[msnicolea]

Signed!

[artist]

Signed.

Thanks for posting that!

[lawyerlee]

Thank you so much for this information! :)

[curlyjr]

signed

[jp'swife]

Thank you ladies!!
I really thought this info should get some exposure on CC. Everyone is passionate about something......and how could you not love these seals?
The situation is just tragic. Horrible. Burns me up! :mad:

[Rose]

That is horrible. I signed! How could you not only allow it, but be the one to do it?

[firebird]

Signed.

[hockeybrat]

Signed... thanks for the FYI!

[ysolde]

Signed! Thanks for letting us know about the pledge.

[jp'swife]

Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!

And you're welcome!

[elladee]

Signed.

[roadrunner]

You people know nothing about this 'cause' which you are trying to defend. How ridiculous.

Yes, if your google it, you will find numerous facts about how inhumane the hunt is, and how the fuzzy-wuzzy cutsie pie baby seals are beaten to death by big bad men.

If you look further you would also find that the seal hunt is one the most heavily regulated mammal harvests in the world. Also, the harp seal is in no way a jepordized species, in fact, there is an alarming surplus of harp seals, so much so that they were one of the direct causes of the collapse of the stock of Atlantic cod in the 1980's-90's, and which remains to this date.

I actuallly find it humerous at this point that every year at this time, people attempt to block the seal fishery. It's not going to happen. The commercial seal fishery in Canada is not going to stop this year!

I really believe that the citizens of the U.S. would do better to focus on the many many issues of poverty and crime within their own country, rather than try to stop a part of the Canadian economy which provides many families with much needed income, and also provides a service to our Canadian ecology, by not allowing the seal population to get any more out of hand than it already is.

I should probably just hit delete now, since this will most definately fall on deaf ears. But in the interest of offering a less 'American' skewed opinion, I'll post it anyway.

FYI: This won't be debated by me. I have better things to do. Just wanted to throw the idea out there that maybe, just maybe, it's not all as horrible and bad and the media makes it out to be.

[ysolde]

I would find it a lot easier to consider your position with thoughtfulness and attention, were it not for this dig:



I really believe that the citizens of the U.S. would do better to focus on the many many issues of poverty and crime within their own country, rather than try to stop a part of the Canadian economy which provides many families with much needed income, and also provides a service to our Canadian ecology, by not allowing the seal population to get any more out of hand than it already is.

I should probably just hit delete now, since this will most definately fall on deaf ears. But in the interest of offering a less 'American' skewed opinion, I'll post it anyway.

FYI: This won't be debated by me. I have better things to do. Just wanted to throw the idea out there that maybe, just maybe, it's not all as horrible and bad and the media makes it out to be.

My in-laws live in Canada, and I am well aware of the economic and political situation there. While I am, in fact, concerned about issues of crime in the US, I am somewhat puzzled by the fact that DH and I walk freely and happily through the streets of Manhattan, day and night, while BIL and his wife are constantly building higher and bigger fences around their little house in Saskatoon. They have a deep and abiding fear of crime of which we are thankfully free here in the Big Apple.

As for poverty, yes, we have some serious poverty issues in the US, which many of us are fighting hard to alleviate, through community efforts, legislative lobbying efforts, and through volunteerism. Here in the US, many, many of us believe that we have been blessed to have been given much in life, and we feel that we are called to give back to those who, at this moment in their lives, do not have the financial resources, the love, the family, or other resources that we have. We take this very seriously.

[Personal rant] I am sick to death of Canadians believing that we live in some sort of hell-hole of poverty. Most of us live reasonably well. We do have access to healthcare. Indeed, when my husband was extremely ill with a rare blood disease two years ago, he received the best medical care, and we paid nothing for it, thanks to our health insurance.

In Canada, my BIL, OTOH, ended up in a diabetic coma because he simply did not receive proper medical attention in a timely manner. A family friend is dying of cancer in her 30s because it was cheaper to give her an innefective chemo than to operate immediately (would have required a specialist) and give her the newer, better chemo.

So, please, ladies and gentlemen of Canada, we are more than happy to accept and examine our flaws, but do NOT pretend that your country is some sort of paradise where nothing bad ever happens. {Rant over}

As for the seal hunt, I do thank you for providing a different perspective.

[jp'swife]

You people know nothing about this 'cause' which you are trying to defend. How ridiculous.

So, I take it that you didn't sign the petition?


I don't usually like to throw this in........but.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[ysolde]

Sorry about my rant. I'll delete it if you want :o

[ysolde]

In good news, some of our favorite haunts, such as Esca, Le Perigord, Artisanal, and Park Avenue Cafe, are boycotting Canadian seafood until the seal hunt ends.

Hooray!!!

[JamBray]

I got the e-mail through my HSUS membership, so already signed, and I've also told DH to be aware of where he purchases his seafood from for our store.

Dawny, thank you for providing another prospective on this from the other side, however, this?
Yes, if your google it, you will find numerous facts about how inhumane the hunt is, and how the fuzzy-wuzzy cutsie pie baby seals are beaten to death by big bad men.

made me sick, as you seem to be making light of how the seals are "harvested". They are beaten to death.
If you look further you would also find that the seal hunt is one the most heavily regulated mammal harvests in the world. Also, the harp seal is in no way a jepordized species, in fact, there is an alarming surplus of harp seals, so much so that they were one of the direct causes of the collapse of the stock of Atlantic cod in the 1980's-90's, and which remains to this date
And if you look further still you will find that the decrease in the cod population is not due to marine mammals, but actually to overfishing, and that the seal population has actually been on the decrease since 1996.

You know, I might have been able to give a little more thought to what you said, had it not been done with such a contemptuous and rude attitude, but I guess it doesn't matter, as you aren't going to debate the matter anyway. :rolleyes:

[snowzilla]

My in-laws live in Canada, and I am well aware of the economic and political situation there. While I am, in fact, concerned about issues of crime in the US, I am somewhat puzzled by the fact that DH and I walk freely and happily through the streets of Manhattan, day and night, while BIL and his wife are constantly building higher and bigger fences around their little house in Saskatoon. They have a deep and abiding fear of crime of which we are thankfully free here in the Big Apple.

Woah. Hang on a second. Coming from someone who was born and raised in Saskatoon, I can't say I agree with this comment. I can only surmise that your relatives may *possibly* be living in a bad area of the city, and we all know that practically every city in the world has a bad area. I now live in Edmonton, which is far bigger, and even with gang activity on the increase, I do not have a deep and abiding fear of crime.

[Personal rant] I am sick to death of Canadians believing that we live in some sort of hell-hole of poverty. Most of us live reasonably well. We do have access to healthcare. Indeed, when my husband was extremely ill with a rare blood disease two years ago, he received the best medical care, and we paid nothing for it, thanks to our health insurance.

Please do not place such a gross over-generalization on Canadians as a whole. I can honestly say that I've never thought that all Americans live in poverty.

So, please, ladies and gentlemen of Canada, we are more than happy to accept and examine our flaws, but do NOT pretend that your country is some sort of paradise where nothing bad ever happens. {Rant over}

You know what? I had this whole big post typed out, and was trying to edit it to make sure my point was clear and cohesive, but I think that all I really want to say is that your post was hurtful and unnecessary. I've always found you to be an intelligent and articulate individual, but this post blew me away. :(

FWIW, I signed the petition. And that was before your rant.

[ysolde]

snowzilla --

I really do apologize. I'm afraid I am a bit on edge, and DH's friends' comments lately (oh, no! you were sick? you can't get sick in the US! They let you die!) are really getting on my nerves. The PP's snide remarks about how we shold be looking to our own problems instead of signing the seal hunting petition (as if it were a zero-sum game) just pushed me over the edge.

As for my BIL and his wife, they are, as far as I can tell, paranoid.

I most certainly do not want to turn this into a "Blame Canada" thing (funny song notwithstanding). I happen to like Canada and the Canadians I have met. And I do apologize for bringing something totally unrelated and completely unwarranted into the thread. Most of all, I apologize for having offended and hurt you.

[MLA]

And if you look further still you will find that the decrease in the cod population is not due to marine mammals, but actually to overfishing, and that the seal population has actually been on the decrease since 1996.

I was just going to point this out. Thanks for doing it for me.

I signed the petition, by the way.

[roadrunner]

Wasn't even going to come back here, but...

And if you look further still you will find that the decrease in the cod population is not due to marine mammals, but actually to overfishing, and that the seal population has actually been on the decrease since 1996.

I'm sorry, but you are mistaken. Yes, overfishing (mostly foreign) and Governmental mismanagement are leading factors, but harp seals are most definately a contributing factor to the decline in the cod stocks. For years, seal fishermen were required to preserve the stomachs of their caught seals, and give them to the government for research purposes. What they found? Seals LOVE cod, and most of their bellies were full of cod.

And to ysolde. I'm sorry if I offended you, it was not my purpose. All I was trying to say was that perhaps, just perhaps, Americans should butt out of affairs that they know nothing of. No, I most certainly do not think that the US is a land of poverty, but you most certainly do have a large number of issues which you could better spend your time on. As for healthcare, I personally wish that we had a more privatized system, so that we would no have to wait so long for specialized services. I don't think that Canadians believe that we live in a eutopia (far from it in fact), but I also don't appreciate the constant accusations that we are nothing more than a bunch of backwards, seal clubbing idiots.

FWIW ~ this issue is not a personal one to the majority of you (and those that protest). It is extremely personal to me. I live in Atlantic Canada. An area which has been greatly affected by the decine in the fishery. People (FAMILIES) do actually rely on income they recieve from hunting seal. It is not their only source of income, but they are already on a largely reduced income. In addition to this, it is part of the traditional way of life of many communities of people in Canada.

Basically what I'm saying is that I apologize if I've offended, but you have no idea how personal this issue is, and you cannot possibly comprehend the frustruation that people in this area deal with every year when the ultra-rich decide to take up the seal 'cause'. To me, this sort of mammal harvest is no different than harvesting beef, pork or chicken in a slaughterhouse (which I'm sure most would agree is possibly inhumane). The only difference? The seals are fuzzy and cute, and it makes for great P.R, and make for an easy target (hunters).

I know I cannot logically portray the actualities of the seal hunt to anyone here. I commend you for wanting to stand up for the animals, but there's a lot more to it than is being publicized.

Just so you know, I am actually an animal lover. I would never personally hunt an animal. I would also never want to witness an animal being killed. However, much like the rest of you, I eat chicken and beef.

Sorry for the intrusion. I do apologize for my emotions getting the better of me.

[batgirl]

I must say that I agree with Dawny on this issue (although not necessarily how she phrased her response).

How is this seal hunt any different to all of the animals that we as american's shoot every year? How is "clubbing a baby seal" any different to shooting a deer with an arrow, following it til its so weak from blood loss that it collapses? Is it just because we are american's and they are evil canadians? I've never understood this outrage. To want a ban on seal hunting in canada but be in favor of hunting in the US is just hypocritical.

There is an overpopulation of seals, deer, etc in N. America. Maybe if we didn't destroy all of their natural predators (killer whales, wolves, etc) we wouldn't have this problem.

And honestly, do you guys really believe that if we had seals in the numbers that are in canada eating fish that american companies wanted to catch and sell, come on guys, we would be doing the exact same thing...

No, I did not sign the petition... but I am against most types of hunting (personally) but see the need since we have killed off all the natural predators.

oops, cross posted with Dawny... Honestly, I don't really care about the fishermen in this issue. I think its terrbile to say that the seals are eating too many cod, so must be destroyed, but this happens all the time (especially in the US). I do believe that we are responsible for the decrease in fish populations (because we have allowed the seal populations to explode by killing off their predators and overfishing, of course). Maybe when we can't eat fish any more because of the mercury content that we have filled them with, well, then we'll see what happens. But in canada, american, most of the world, money trumps wildlife... always.

[jp'swife]

What Products Are Made from Seals?
Seals are killed primarily for their fur, which is used to produce fashion garments and other items. There is a small market for seal oil (both for industrial purposes and for human consumption), and seal penises have been sold in Asian markets as an aphrodisiac. There is almost no market for the meat, so seal carcasses are normally left to rot on the ice.

Is the Seal Hunt Economically Important?
No. Sealing is an off-season activity conducted by fishermen from Canada's East Coast. They make, on average, one twentieth of their incomes from seal hunting and the rest from commercial fisheries. Even in Newfoundland, where 90% of sealers live, revenues from the hunt account for less than 1% of the province's economy and only 2% of the landed value of the fishery. According to the Newfoundland government, out of a population of half a million people, only 4,000 fishermen participate in the seal hunt each year.

The commercial seal hunt is an activity that Canada's federal government could easily replace with economic alternatives should it choose to do so.
Does the Government Subsidize the Hunt?
Yes. According to reports from the Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment, more than $20 million in subsidies were provided to the sealing industry between 1995 and 2001. Those subsidies came from entities such as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Human Resources Development Council, and Canada Economic Development–Quebec. These subsidies take a variety of forms, including funding the salaries for seal processing plant workers, market research and development trips, and capital acquisitions for processing plants.

Moreover, Canada's commercial seal hunt is also indirectly subsidized by the Norwegian government. A Norwegian company purchases close to 80% of the sealskins produced in Canada in any given year through its Canadian subsidiary. These skins are shipped in an unprocessed state directly to Norway, where they are tanned and re-exported. The Norwegian government provides significant financial assistance to this company each year.

Is It True Seals Are Jeopardizing the Canadian Cod Fishery?
There is no evidence to support this contention. Some fishing industry lobby groups try to claim that seals must be culled to protect fish stocks, but nothing could be further from the truth.

The scientific community agrees that the true cause of the depletion of fish stocks off Canada's East Coast is human over-fishing. Blaming seals for disappearing fish is a convenient way for the fishing industry to divert attention from its irresponsible and environmentally destructive practices that continue today.

In truth, seals, like all marine mammals, are a vital part of the ecosystem of the Northwest Atlantic. Harp seals, which are the primary target of the hunt, are opportunistic feeders, meaning they consume small amounts of many different species. So while approximately 3% of a harp seal's diet may be commercially fished cod, harp seals also eat many significant predators of cod, such as squid. That is why some scientists are concerned that culling harp seals could further inhibit recovery of commercially valuable fish stocks in the Northwest Atlantic.

Are Seals Overpopulated?
No. The Canadian government and sealing industry have, at various times, tried to claim that the harp seal population has "tripled" over the past three decades, or that the harp seal population is "exploding," or that seals are overpopulated.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The harp seal population in the Northwest Atlantic is the world's largest—it is supposed to number in the many millions. This is a migratory population that spans the distance between Canada and Greenland.

In the 1950s and 1960s, over-hunting wiped out close to two-thirds of the harp seal population. By 1974, the population was considered to be in serious trouble, and senior government scientists recommended the commercial hunt be suspended for at least ten years.

In the early 1980s, the European Union banned the import of whitecoat seal skins, effectively removing the principal market for the hunt at the time. For the next decade, the numbers of seals killed in the hunt dramatically declined, and the harp seal population began to recover.

However, according to the last survey conducted by the Canadian government in 1999, the harp seal population stopped recovering in 1996 (when the commercial seal hunt was reintroduced) and began to decline. With more than a million seal pups killed over the past three years alone, we can only wonder what the impact will be on the harp seal population over the coming years.


http://www.hsus.org/marine_mammals/protect_seals/facts_about_the_canadian_seal_hunt.html

Not forcing anyone to sign (that would be ridiculous, of course). Just putting information out there....feel free to do your own research and come to your own conclusions. :)

[batgirl]

JP's wife Almost all of the information that you just posted could just as easily be regarding the animals that we hunt for sport or harvest for fur in the US. I just don't see the outrage. Let's focus on it at home (i.e. the horse slaughter, legistlation to hunt to buffalo within park boundaries, etc) and when we have outlawed our atrocities, then we can move to to Canada.

I know as american's we love to police the world, but as far as hunting, let's begin at home first.

[roadrunner]

You can post all of the stats you want, but please remember that they are most often skewed toward a specific audience; in this case - you.

You haven't lived in an area where this has taken place, you haven't spoken with a seal fisherman, you really really really do not know what you are talking about. You are just spouting facts that you've read off some activist website, since you really know nothing about the seal hunt, or the seal hunters.

And, of course, the source you sited is the 'American Humane Society'.

[jp'swife]

Once again, sign or don't sign. It's your right and your freedom.
I'm not forcing anything on anyone and I don't understand why the two of you keep thinking that I'm posting information or this issue for YOUR benefit. There are others who are on these boards that care about this situation as well as a million others.

Ok, then I 'don't know what I'm talking about'.
That's your feeling.
I do help petition for the horse slaughter and other issues regarding animals right here in the US. I am not pro-hunting. I don't find anything 'sport' about it. This is just one website that I am 'spouting off facts' from. I have looked at others that say this same information.

I guess I just don't understand why, if you don't want to sign anything about this or don't care about this situation, do you keep coming back in here to debate? I'm not going to debate this issue.

[roadrunner]

In the interest of providing information from a different perspective:

The Canadian Sealers Association site:
http://www.sealharvest.ca/html/facts.html

Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans:
www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca Contains many atricles, for example "ATLANTIC CANADA SEAL HUNT MYTHS AND REALITIES"

I have no problem with you providing information for people, but please provide accurate info. from both sides of the border/argument.

[cr8zyforaf]

Signed...thanks for this information.

[jp'swife]

This server is wacky today! ugh!

In the interest of providing information from a different perspective:

The Canadian Sealers Association site:
http://www.sealharvest.ca/html/facts.html

Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans:
www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca Contains many atricles, for example "ATLANTIC CANADA SEAL HUNT MYTHS AND REALITIES"

I have no problem with you providing information for people, but please provide accurate info. from both sides of the border/argument.

Dawny-I appreciate your passion for the other side and thank you for the information. However, I think the other side of the argument FOR a hunt is a moot point in a thread asking people (not forcing people, mind you) to sign a petition against a hunt that I, and many others feel, is inhumane whether it be the way that they hunt (like their techniques and methods) or for the reasoning that they hunt these seals.

Please feel free to post an opposing thread if you'd like!
Maybe you can do a counter protest on this issue.

[roadrunner]

So, in other words, you don't want people to be educated on the issue. You just want them to see the fuzzy white seals (which are ILLEGAL to kill, BTW) and say "oh please don't kill the fuzzies".

Good enough. I understand what kind of activist you are now. Enjoy your thread!

[jp'swife]

So, in other words, you don't want people to be educated on the issue. You just want them to see the fuzzy white seals (which are ILLEGAL to kill, BTW) and say "oh please don't kill the fuzzies".

Good enough. I understand what kind of activist you are now. Enjoy your thread!


Oy.
I don't care how fuzzy the seals are.
You know what.....I said I wasn't going to debate this and I'm not. I think I remember you saying the same, but you keep coming back again and again.
I get it, you don't have a problem with it but others do.
Thank you for you time.

[chrisinluv]

I signed it.

It is disgusting that the hunters defile the earth with their foulness by leaving the seal carcasses to rot where they were killed. Talk about barbaric. I can't believe that in this day and age, anyone would think it's alright to club another living being to death.

Comparisons of the seal hunt to any other type of industry in order to defend it are ungrounded, in that they all have their own unique negative qualities. Are animals abused in factory farms and slaughterhouses? yes. Are we TALKING about those animals in this thread? No. But, perhaps getting rid of seal hunts is another step to making the rest of the world less cruel. BTW, there are ongoing campaigns against just about every type of animal cruelty, and a simple google search would probably help dispell any misguided assertions that people care about seals but don't care about other animals. It is just not true. The insinuation that the "ultra-rich" who just all of a sudden "decide to take up the seal cause" are the only people who care about this issue is extremely out of line. Sorry, but poor people care about seals too.

[JamBray]

but I also don't appreciate the constant accusations that we are nothing more than a bunch of backwards, seal clubbing idiots.
I didn’t see anything remotely close to that being said here, and that’s certainly not how I view Canadians.
Basically what I'm saying is that I apologize if I've offended, but you have no idea how personal this issue is, and you cannot possibly comprehend the frustruation that people in this area deal with every year when the ultra-rich decide to take up the seal 'cause'. To me, this sort of mammal harvest is no different than harvesting beef, pork or chicken in a slaughterhouse (which I'm sure most would agree is possibly inhumane).
I agree that slaughterhouses are not humane either, nor are canned huntings, bear trapping, etc, and I'm against it all, and am by no means "ultra-rich". I can understand needing something for your livelihood, but isn’t there a better way to “thin the herd” than beating the seals over the head with a club? It just seems so barbaric to me.
You just want them to see the fuzzy white seals (which are ILLEGAL to kill, BTW) and say "oh please don't kill the fuzzies".
Okay, now I’m confused. Are you saying that the hunters are NOT killing baby harp seals due to the illegality of it? If that is the case, then I’m going to have to strongly disagree with you, as I’ve seen the footage, and I believe is what the petition is mostly about.
Canada’s annual seal hunt is the largest commercial slaughter of marine mammals on the planet. It’s also the cruelest. In late March, fishermen in the North Atlantic will invade the ice floes to club and shoot baby seals
Or am I wrong here?

[MLA]

Okay, now I’m confused. Are you saying that the hunters are NOT killing baby harp seals due to the illegality of it? If that is the case, then I’m going to have to strongly disagree with you, as I’ve seen the footage, and I believe is what the petition is mostly about.

Or am I wrong here?

I may be mistaken, but I believe that it's illegal for hunters to kill baby seals that are still white. Once their coats have turned, though, they're fair game.

I, too, am against any sort of sport hunting, and I have a big problem with factory farming and canned hunting. I've signed many petitions about those problems as well -- and I've written my congress people about it as well. I just see this issue as an extension of the many other animal rights issues that I believe in.

[firebird]

I might not want to know the answer to this but what is Canned Hunting?

[jp'swife]

If I'm not mistaken, canned hunting is the 'hunting' of captive animals in a confined area.

[fuzzy]

If I'm not mistaken, canned hunting is the 'hunting' of captive animals in a confined area.

Yup and they often "hunt" around their feeding locations, so they are essentially baited some times too.

[JamBray]

I might not want to know the answer to this but what is Canned Hunting?
Firebird canned hunting is
the killing of an animal in an enclosure to obtain a trophy. The animals are sometimes tame exotic mammals; some, in fact, may have been hand-raised by the canned hunting operation or a breeder. These animals do not run from humans. Many groups that support hunting scorn canned hunting for its unsportsmanlike practice, because patrons are often guaranteed a kill.
It's really disgusting. I saw footage one time of a caged panther that was being taunted by the men around it with sticks. They then let it out of its cage, only to set a dog on it who was barking and going crazy. The poor animal had been drugged so it couldn't really fight back, and it simply ran under a car to hide before they shot it. It was one of the most disturbing, vile things I've ever seen, and it's basically like "shooting fish in a barrel". :(

[jp'swife]

Sorry, but that is so f*cking disgusting.

[mb1197]

Signed. Thank you!

Also, sent to DH who is a chef so he can be aware of the seafood he purchases.

[jp'swife]

BTW...thank you to all of you who signed.
It's appreciated!

[JamBray]

Sorry, but that is so f*cking disgusting.
Yeah jp'swife, it was pretty horrific. :( :mad:

[Clubqueen]

I'm against hunting of any kind. Yes, I do eat meat, but I never saw the glamour of hunting for sport, pelts, trophies, etc.

Although I'm against the clubbing of seals, there really is nothing that will change the government's mind on this. They will not ban it and that's it. It doesn't matter which celebrity focuses light on the matter, it's just too big an industry for it to go away.

Maybe the one thing that would make it eventually go away is this: don't purchase pelts or real fur coats of any kind. It's the people who buy this stuff that keep this industry going. If the demand goes away, soon the supply will follow.

[gayle]

Signed. Thank you so much for posting this Jill.

[jp'swife]

Maybe the one thing that would make it eventually go away is this: don't purchase pelts or real fur coats of any kind. It's the people who buy this stuff that keep this industry going. If the demand goes away, soon the supply will follow.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe I read that the US banned seal pelts in the 70's. Just a side note.

[321Jump]

Did anybody see Larry King last night? Paul and Heather McCartney were on, as well as the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was quite fascinating, and I learned a lot about both sides of the argument. Here's the transcript, since I couldn't find any sound bites:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0603/03/lkl.01.html

[wendalah]

Good for you for posting this, good for Paul McCartney for being an activist.

And:

To me, this sort of mammal harvest is no different than harvesting beef, pork or chicken in a slaughterhouse (which I'm sure most would agree is possibly inhumane).

Agreed, and this American doesn't eat meat either.

[lawyerlee]

I watched the video of the 2005 seal hunts on that website because I felt like I needed to see for myself to take a position on the issue. They are killing baby seals by clubbing them. Sometimes they don't even make sure they are dead before they start skinning them. It was sickening and made me so angry. :mad: :(

Thanks again for bringing this issue to the forefront for all of us, Jill.

[jellybeany]

Signed!