Canadian Seal Hunt Attacked by PETA

This post was inspired by an article I read regarding PETA’s - People for the ethical treatment of Animals - latest campaign against the Canadian Seal Hunt. Some groups really know how to hop on the bandwagon to get some press and PETA specializes in it.

The group has launched an animated video of the cute and quirky mascots for the Games, portraying them as crazed seal hunters on a rampage to club baby seals.” As long as the seal slaughter exists, Canada’s image is tainted by cruelty to animals on a massive scale,” PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman said. “If Canada wants the Olympics to get clean press, it needs to stop the universally condemned massacre of seals.”

The mascots for the Vancouver Olympics are portrayed as club-wielding seal hunters in a new ad from the controversial animal rights group PETA. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals launched an animated video on its Web site Monday that depicts the three Olympic mascots — Miga, Quatchi and Sumi — chasing down a baby seal with a club, then standing over the animal’s blood-soaked body in the next scene.

At first I was going to take my usual tongue in cheek satirical take on it because their latest press has of course, left themselves wide open to criticism and ridicule for going overboard and depending on shock value. However once I began researching the article well…all humor quickly dissipated.

Canada's commercial seal "hunt" is the largest mass slaughter of marine mammals in the world. This year, Canada will allow 270,000 harp seals to be killed.

The bulk of the seal hunt is used for commercial goods. Seal skins have been used by aboriginal people for millennia to make waterproof jackets and boots, and seal fur to make fur coats. I remember as a child -long long time ago - I actually had a pair of seal boots. All of us kids did back in the sixties, they are incredibly warm and water resistant. But these days all kinds of synthetic man made materials can be used.

Seal meat is an important source of food for residents of small coastal communities. Meat is sold to the Asian pet food market. The seal blubber is used to make seal oil, which is marketed as a fish oil supplement. This is totally un-necessary. I don’t understand why Asian markets continue to show total disregard for animals which are being hunted to extinction just to satisfy their palates. The Japanese whale hunt - for apparently scientific research - is another perfect example.

“The decision by the European Parliament lacks any basis in facts,” said the Honorable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. “The Canadian seal hunt is guided by rigorous animal welfare principles which are internationally recognized by independent observers. I once again caution my European counterparts about the dangers of pursuing politically motivated bans on other countries’ traditional industries. Our government will stand up for the jobs and communities that depend on the seal hunt.”

So what it comes down to is ‘they said’ “we said” both sides make a persuasive argument and you will have to make your own decision regarding it. I personally think unless you are supplementing your diet and food supply because of economic reasons, hunting of any type either commercially or for sport is grotesque and barbaric.

What I worry about with PETA strategy is that at times the intensity and tactics they use often take attention away from the issue at hand. It tends to draw more attention to the organization itself. - then PETA becomes the issue.

PETA is also urging a boycott of Canadian maple syrup. Last time I checked all Maple Trees were tapped humanely. What ever we do we better not mention the deep fried Beaver Tails.


Til Later