The 2009 seal slaughter has ended, but PETA's campaign to stop the massacre permanently has just begun. It's clear that the Canadian seal slaughter is quickly losing favor and support: This year, about three-fourths of the seals who were scheduled to be bludgeoned or shot to death were spared.
Most people would agree that there is something terribly wrong with shooting and smashing in the skulls of baby seals, yet despite international outrage, the Canadian government allows sealers to beat and skin hundreds of thousands of these gentle creatures every year. So why is Canada killing seals?
The seal slaughter exists because of the overall demand for fur. During Canada's annual war on seals, sealers routinely hook live seals in the eye, cheek, or mouth to avoid damaging the fur, then they drag the seals across the ice. Many of these gentle creatures may not even have eaten their first solid meal or taken their first swim before they are slaughtered for their skin.
Whether it's clubbing baby seals, electrocuting minks on fur farms, or crushing foxes' chests in traps, the bloody fur trade is one of the most hideous industries on Earth.
While all eyes are on Canada as it prepares to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, kind people everywhere are calling on the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee to use its influence to help stop the slaughter. Please urge Canadian government officials and the Vancouver Olympic Committee to help end the seal slaughter immediately.
And there's even more that every individual can do to help seals. Boycott a product that is vital to Canada's economy: maple syrup. Canada produces approximately 85 percent of the world's maple syrup, with the U.S. as its largest consumer, and by buying this Canadian product, you are supporting Canadian cruelty. By pledging to boycott Canadian maple syrup, you'll be speaking up for baby seals in Canada for whom life isn't so sweet and telling Canada that you won't support its product until you can support its practices. Pledge to boycott Canadian maple syrup now!
