The Canadian Seal Hunt

[Catherine]

Or rather the Canadian Seal Massacre.

Seals are hunted year round, sometimes for actual food, out of necessity. However The Seal Hunt refers to the big spring hunt in the gulf of St Lawrence. This is a mass slaughter and it is heavily subsidized by the government. Overlooking the cruelty for a moment, there is no market for the pelts and the meat is discarded so the whole hunt is pointless.

It is also cruel. The seals come up on the ice to give birth. They are very vulnerable. The pups are totally helpless. In the past they were allowed to kill the fluffy white newborns. The image of a fluffy white new born seal is very powerful and that was banned. However, they kill the pups as soon as they have fully shed and lose the white coat. They are still babies and very helpless.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...5X5LRXh-Sw

Like the whale slaughter off of the Faroe Islands it is pointless. They do it because they have been doing it for years, but it isn't even a source of food or a means of support.

It is also completely inhumane. There is no possibility of quick kills.  Animals suffer and nothing is done to stop this suffering.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...oUBLHNZFZg

It is horrible and shameful and it goes on year after  year. So many seals die. It is hard to comprehend that many animals killed so cruelly.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...b3Iw0I84Xg

We were shocked by the Gadhimai slaughter. This is worse. It helps that other places like the EU have banned seal products.
We need there to be a strong pressure from other countries. This will have to be stopped at the government level. As long as the government subsidizes the hunt, it will go on.