2008 Woodie Awards
Save The Seals! Stop the Slaughter!
Julia Haney-Montanez
Issue date: 11/10/04 Section: News
The Humane Society would like to inform Manhattan College students about their "Protect Seals" campaign so they can help end the slaughter of baby harp and hooded seals. They want students to be aware that tourist money they might spend in Canada might contribute to the killing of baby seals.
The official hunting season begins November 15, off Canada's North Atlantic Coast, which contributes to statistics claiming that Canada's seal hunt is now the largest commercial slaughter of wildlife in the world.
According to the Humane Society, last winter, the Canadian Government announced that seal hunters could legally kill nearly one million seal babies over the next three years.
The majority (over 95%) of killed seals were around 12 days to 12 weeks old, and veterinarians who were observing in 2001 estimated that 40 percent of the seals were skinned while they were still alive. "To add insult to injury," the Humane Society informs us that the Canadian Government financially supports the hunt with taxpayer money, using more than $20 million (Canadian) between 1995 and 2001 to subsidize it.
Animal rights activist, Erica Apatov, strongly opposes seal hunting, "There is no reason to kill animals for any reason, not only is inhumane it's uncalled for."
Freshman Zach Winslow also feels strongly towards hunters, "Baby seals are cute. They look like puppies that are from the sea. I think that those goddamn [Canadians] that club them should be shot"
The reason for this massive seal-slaughtering is due to Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) officials who specifically designed the hunt to reduce the seal population, blaming the seals for "preventing the recovery of devastated cod stocks."
Ashley Robinson, a concerned Penn State student says, "Seals are cute intelligent creatures and no one should have the right to kill innocent animals, plus," she adds, "who cares about cods?" Ashley spent many summers working at Sea World in Florida and has grown very affectionate of seals and other sea-creatures,
Freshman Amelia Mejia voiced her concern as well, "The plight of the baby seal is one that really troubles me, whenever I hear about the reckless hunting of these defenseless animals, I really question my major and wish I was pursuing something that could help protect them"
Senior Vice President of Wildlife and Habitat Protection of the Humane Society wrote, "This Horrific Slaughter is a disgrace. Let's send a message to the Canadian government, the only entity that can end it. Please think twice before spending your tourism- or education- dollars in Canada while the killing continues." There goes your plan to move to Canada to avoid the draft.
If you have any interest in saving these baby seals, please contact the Humane Society by visiting www.protectseals.org, or email them at protect-seals@hsus.org and they will give you further instruction on how to help.
The official hunting season begins November 15, off Canada's North Atlantic Coast, which contributes to statistics claiming that Canada's seal hunt is now the largest commercial slaughter of wildlife in the world.
According to the Humane Society, last winter, the Canadian Government announced that seal hunters could legally kill nearly one million seal babies over the next three years.
The majority (over 95%) of killed seals were around 12 days to 12 weeks old, and veterinarians who were observing in 2001 estimated that 40 percent of the seals were skinned while they were still alive. "To add insult to injury," the Humane Society informs us that the Canadian Government financially supports the hunt with taxpayer money, using more than $20 million (Canadian) between 1995 and 2001 to subsidize it.
Animal rights activist, Erica Apatov, strongly opposes seal hunting, "There is no reason to kill animals for any reason, not only is inhumane it's uncalled for."
Freshman Zach Winslow also feels strongly towards hunters, "Baby seals are cute. They look like puppies that are from the sea. I think that those goddamn [Canadians] that club them should be shot"
The reason for this massive seal-slaughtering is due to Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) officials who specifically designed the hunt to reduce the seal population, blaming the seals for "preventing the recovery of devastated cod stocks."
Ashley Robinson, a concerned Penn State student says, "Seals are cute intelligent creatures and no one should have the right to kill innocent animals, plus," she adds, "who cares about cods?" Ashley spent many summers working at Sea World in Florida and has grown very affectionate of seals and other sea-creatures,
Freshman Amelia Mejia voiced her concern as well, "The plight of the baby seal is one that really troubles me, whenever I hear about the reckless hunting of these defenseless animals, I really question my major and wish I was pursuing something that could help protect them"
Senior Vice President of Wildlife and Habitat Protection of the Humane Society wrote, "This Horrific Slaughter is a disgrace. Let's send a message to the Canadian government, the only entity that can end it. Please think twice before spending your tourism- or education- dollars in Canada while the killing continues." There goes your plan to move to Canada to avoid the draft.
If you have any interest in saving these baby seals, please contact the Humane Society by visiting www.protectseals.org, or email them at protect-seals@hsus.org and they will give you further instruction on how to help.