If all the diehard carnivores in the United States Senate are condemning the seal hunt, it irrefutably verifies that even detached people consider the seal hunt an abomination.

Posted by: Brien Comerford | May 11, 2009 08:22 PM

Good job, Senators!!

Posted by: Curtis | May 12, 2009 01:27 AM

I'm glad that they are taking action to stop the seal hunt. I am Canadian and I hate the fact that people think it is the Canadian citizens that approve of the hunt. Harper is an idiot. I didn't vote for him. :)
Thank you U.S Senate!

Posted by: VeganKy | May 12, 2009 10:12 AM

I don't VeganKy. And while I'm at it, perhaps we should consider the inquiries and investigations that should be opened into the massacre once it concludes. On the plus side we can start considering Canada an "ally" in the fight against whaling, bullfighting, chicken slaughtering at McDonalds, (have not eaten there or at KFC for years) etc.

Posted by: Neil Warne | May 13, 2009 02:42 AM

Are you sure is US senate resolution 84? I have searched it and it has to do something with Parkinson's disease.

Posted by: Seal | May 13, 2009 04:16 PM

You know what, im only 13 years old and I AM FRIGGIN discusted with the way that these poor defenseless animals are being treated. It is absolutlely HORRIBLE. And i am soo glad that somebody is actually coming to their friggin senses and stopping this!! This has gotta stop!

Posted by: Heleene | May 13, 2009 04:49 PM

Wake up Canadian Government... Do you not get it yet?????????????????????

Posted by: carla | May 13, 2009 05:00 PM

poor seals... those canadians are usually awesome, eh?

Posted by: Carsorox :) | May 13, 2009 08:05 PM

It's about bloody time!!! Those poor seals. Hell no to fur!!!!!

Posted by: Jessica Donner | May 13, 2009 09:54 PM

gods people. Have any of you looked at the economic or ecological implications of the seal hunt? Rather than doctored data released by your almight brainwashing PETA? These creatures are more than a bit overpopulated folks. They are starving to death. Now you consider the slow process of death through starvation, vs having your skull cracked open. Neither ones pretty but ones a heck of a lot more merciful. The animals are used, not merely slaughtered, skinned and left to rot as they would have you believe. They die so that we may live and I respect these creatures for that. The shame is in our forefathers errors that led to these creatures becoming overpopulated and putting a further strain on their own food supplies. Much as youd prefer to believe it was all fault of the evil humans. We are all just animals folks, and in the natural order of things, animals kill one another to survive. Ive done it, my ancestors have done it and no matter how cute or cuddly the critted may be, im afraid I'll continue to do it. I take no perverse pleasure from killing another living thing. Its merely something I do to practice a form of sustainable living. Nevertheless i am off topic. I highly reccomend you all take the time to LOOk at the seal hunt, to see what it is what it accomplishes. And take a close look at some of the kind, hard working folks who will begin starving with their families when you fools stop this hunt. Last but not least those lovely pics of the cute lil white furred seals you PETA folks are so fond of posting are a sham. Those seals haven't been hunted or slaughtered for their furs since around the 70s. We hunt the lil mud brown buggers that hiss and have the nastiest bite you ever saw. Open your eyes, make up your own minds based off of ALL the data not just what you are fed from one side or the other.

Posted by: Titus | May 14, 2009 02:20 AM

Finally something our government leaders put forth that we can be proud of and get behind. Calling Canada: several nations of Africa have much to teach you in the areas of working WITH the environment to solve financial issues. Rather than hunt their animals, they now hunt those who hunt their animals because its the animals who bring in the tourists and thus a steady stream tourist dollars. And given that your entire seal hunt amounts to $16 Million is pathetic on an national scale. Eco tourism could muster that paltry sum in no time flat. However in order to make it happen you need to step out of the dark ages of obsolete policy.

Posted by: Robert | May 14, 2009 06:03 AM

Come on... get over it Canada we dont live in the stone-age enymore...

Good job.....

Posted by: Oliver | May 14, 2009 08:59 AM

I'm SO glad to hear this! The U.S should have tried to put a stop to this from the beginning, but better late than never!
Let the seals live in peace, dammit!!!! :)

Posted by: Kaitlin H. | May 14, 2009 09:23 AM

Titus, you're a moron. Slaughtering seals has nothing to do with sustaining human life. Furthermore, I don't care if YOU think the seals are UGLY, that's not our point! We don't just defend animals because we think they're cute. We defend animals because they are living creatures that deserve to thrive on the food chain like the rest of us. And, slaughtering seals isn't something that's natural to our food chain. Lastly, if I dropped you in the middle of the ocean and asked you to try to remain on top of the food chain, you'd laugh at the prospect because you'd know your chances for survival are zero. You'd say this scenario isn't fair, oh well, it's just as unfair as humans with clubs hunting seals that are as slow as snails on land. It's called unfair advantage and it's called advanced civilization, we no longer have to do these things to animals in order to obtain food and live a healthy, comfortable lifestyle. What you describe is called an affluent lifestyle--get off your high horse!

Posted by: ashrose | May 14, 2009 11:09 AM

Im sick of people not doing anything about these poor animals getting hurt 24/7! I'm only 14 and i think i care more about this then the ex president Bush did and im sick of this happening and im glad PETA is trying to stop it!!

<3333333,
Chasidy

Posted by: Chasidy | May 14, 2009 11:26 AM

Robert

who,other than peta folks, would pay large amounts of money to see just seals? maybe toss in a wolf eating a musk ox or polar bear eating a seal that is why most people go to africa. they want to see death. africa can teach canada something my foot!!! hello darfur!?!?
you all should listen to titus. we may not have to club seals but if we do not there will be a great die off but i guess you do not care as long as they are dead by the works or nature and not the hand of man?

Posted by: luke | May 14, 2009 01:10 PM

I can't believe there is actually someone defending this. Who gives any human the right to decide what animals need to be killed off. How is it more merciful to get your head bashed in to the point where you aren't totally killed and skinned while still half alive! Wow there are some sick individuals if you think that is more merciful than a normal death by nature. Who gave anyone the right to say a living thing is worth killing because of how it looks? I don't care how it looks the point is we have no right treating the seals they way they are.

Posted by: Tim | May 14, 2009 04:14 PM

we have to stop noncence before

it gets out of hand!no one can stop this but the people of the cuontry it happens in.i as a canadien have started a club at the local elementery school for grades3-5.please,will anyone reading this please do the same.

Posted by: c&a | May 14, 2009 06:02 PM

FINALLY!!!!
Someone is looking out for these little guys!!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!

Posted by: Kristi | May 14, 2009 09:18 PM

so why are defenders of murder here anyways i mean this is poeple FOR ethical treatment of animals not against them and we never said we don't care about poeple we care so much we even believe in animals!the seal hunt is awful the young seals also feel pain and have lives they know how to survive and as a Canadian am proud of what the us senates doing

Posted by: pepper | May 14, 2009 09:20 PM

I live in Canada, and the fact that people are doing this here sickens me. I'm ashamed to say that I live in a country that slaughters seals annually.

Posted by: Tressa | May 14, 2009 09:48 PM

i think that it is discusting what they do to animals and someone should have done something about it by now. i do not agree with animal cruelty 1 bit and i would really like to do something about it because when you watch a video of animals getting hurt like that it is disturbing.

Amy from Rhyl.

Posted by: Amy | May 15, 2009 09:40 AM

Very happy to hear this new.
Horrible the killing of innocents animals just for stupid fashion.

Posted by: Yoslin | May 15, 2009 10:21 AM

Dear Tressa,
I'd like to first point out that it's admirable to condemn your country for an act committed by a fraction of the population. That's a very very mature and rational response. It's the same as me saying I hate America because a small percentage of us are racist. Secondly, the natural order of the world revolves around the food chain. I'm sure you've watched a gazelle be run down by a lion on an animal program. It's uncomfortable to watch but it is the nature of the beast. If a seal looked like a lobster would you care so much? Would there be videos of it being killed. The answer is no. Seals resemble our close family pets and therefore attract sympathy. They are a common animal. What makes you uncomfortable is that you have no experience with killing an animal. Therefore you condemn the action. This is completely understandable. The first time anyone sees death whether it be human or animal it is hard. All I'm asking is that you think about that. There are so many horrible things that people are doing to each other in this world. Don't you think we should take care of that and not get so worked up about seals?

Posted by: Chris | May 15, 2009 11:20 AM

To Titus - for someone who claims to be involved in sealing you appear to actually know very little about the topic. Firstly, the EU trade ban exclues Inuit hunters, the only people who can actually claim to kill seals for "sustainable living". The sealers who partake in the hunt are commercial fishermen who make a tiny percentage of their annual income from sealing. Secondly, whether the seal is a whitecoat or brown is of no concern to those who oppose this hunt - we care about all seals. But since you raised the whitecoat issue - under current rules sealers can kill a creature that is only beginning to shed its whitecoat and therefore seals as young as 12 days old could be killed. As regards overpopulation and starvation - the Candian govt refuse to deal with the scientifically proven problem of human overfishing and slaughtering seals is a much easier option for them than dealing with this issue.

Chris - "Natural order" has nothing whatsoever to do with the seal hunt, and I would seriously question your definition of natural order in the first place. Yes, humans are faced with many problems and they also create countless problems for non-humans that must be given importance. There is a very realistic chance of ending the slaughter now, and I think your dismissal of this issue as getting "worked up about seals" clearly illustrates your views on animal rights. I am confused as to why you have even taken the time to come and comment on this website when you obviously have no regard for animal rights issues...perhaps your time would be better spent solving those human issues you appear to be so involved in.....

Posted by: Lauren | May 15, 2009 12:05 PM

WOW!!
This is unbelievable how can people do this to poor innocent animals the .... I thik the Lord should end human life and continue animal life becaue they have no sins and we just had our time

Posted by: Marlene=D | May 15, 2009 02:48 PM

in a world of war and poverty and a failing economy and all you narrow minded people can think of are seals. give me a break. maybe we should think about stopping the killing of humans first instead of the killing of seals. and you explain to the mother of a dead national guardsmen why your time and effort went towards saving a seal while her son or daughter stuck his or her neck out for YOU. put your heads on straight people this is not our top priority. hell it doesn't even make top ten.

Posted by: Jack | May 15, 2009 10:12 PM

Great news, one day eventually, we will see the whole world condeming the abuse of all living things.

Posted by: Richard | May 15, 2009 11:00 PM

I do think this is bad
because they kill living things for
just remove the skin and then pull
your body wing garbage
porfevor prohibit these killings!

Posted by: pia arias | May 15, 2009 11:05 PM

how to do this are living beings
As we let them alone!

Posted by: pia | May 15, 2009 11:08 PM

How does the US passing a bill affect Canada in any way

Posted by: George | May 16, 2009 12:07 AM

OMG, finally!! I am a canadian and I have been disgusted w/ the seal slaughter since first learning about the controversy and protests as a young child in the 1970's. If the US put pressure on Canada our prime minister harper will have to defer (He already has had Bush and now Obama's $#@! up his #%$* and will never risk annoying the US. Bravo.

Posted by: c | May 16, 2009 03:15 AM

Now look here you pro-seal hunt dissenters, I am sick of you people trying to put one over on me and the millions of people who hate this annual bloodbath. Titus, nice try but you and your pro seal "hunting" cretin mates aren't fooling me for a second. You see, your facts were probably fed to you by the DFO's propaganda *bulls**t* department and like a *lemming* you probably believed them. Especially the classic where they say 'They're overpopulated' the second one 'we use much more than just the fur' and last but not least 'it's no different to what happens in a slaughterhouse' Try "False comments Numbers 1-13" on YouTube, it's all very well explained in all 13 arguments how your lies count to nothing. And luke
can you try and explain to us why people wouldn't want to go and see baby seals, I mean they love seeing whales, so I imagine seal watching tours would be quite profitable.

Posted by: Tim Smith | May 16, 2009 05:28 AM

Hey everyone, I'm a 20 year old university student from Newfoundland and in the summer I work on a crab boat. I know a lot of people involved in the seal hunt personally and I have seen what they do. From my experience all of these people use 22 caliber rifles to shoot the seals quickly and as humane as possible. I am not a vegetarian, I'm not an animal rights activist, but I DO NOT believe in cruelty towards animal or killing for sport. Many people believe that these seals are only shot for there pelt, and for the most part this is a common misconception. Everyone that I have met keep all parts of the animal except for their innards. The fur and meat are both sold just like any other animal harvest. In some cases people even sell the liver for certain healthcare products. There are men who still use a club and I also believe this is cruel for the most part the seal is dead after the first blow, but as i'm sure you've seen through the media there are cases of savage beatings and mistreatment. The whole point I'm trying to get across is YES we do kill these cute little animals and it's a bloody mess on the ice. BUT if these wild animals are killed quickly and as humane as possible how can you distinguish it from any other kind of hunt? People all over north america shoot deer and in most cases only for the meat. why isn't there a big article on that? This message may anger many of you but would like to get this straight, the men and women who participate in the hunt are doing this for their livelihood they are no more cruel than any other hunt. Also I think PETA is a fantastic organization and although i kill animals and eat them i do so with respect and compassion for it. I believe in the ethical treatment of animals but people come first.

Posted by: Tyler | May 16, 2009 12:14 PM

Some of the people on here need to understand that not all Canadians do this, only dumb ones who dont consider these animals feelings, i dont kill any animals, not even ants.
but ur right the canadian government doesnt need to wake up TODAY!!!

Posted by: Wade MacAulay | May 16, 2009 07:45 PM

Seal,
In your search engine, type
S. Res. 84 and it will come up. Yes, this does pertain to the seal slaughter in Canada.

Posted by: Dana | May 16, 2009 09:27 PM

ITS ABOUT TIME!!!

Posted by: Autumn | May 16, 2009 10:16 PM

It's nice to know the US is still passing up laws and resolutions that Canada is to obey.

Posted by: Canada, US State apparently | May 17, 2009 03:41 AM

Lauren,
I do in fact care about animals. But do you honestly believe(I before E except after C,right? Sorry my grammar is horrible.) that PETA is the right platform for this? I read that the founder of PETA was fighting for the non human victims in a bombing in Afghanistan. She was up in arms about donkeys being killed in a bombing. My facts may be totally wrong but if they are not doesn't that seem absurd to you? The point I was trying to make is that stances too far left or too far right hurt more than they help. To(sorry I know i started this sentence with a preposition and that's a no no)many people PETA is an extremist group. I mean look at Marlene's post. It literally hurt my head it was so idiotic. I'd love to write more but I need to solve those human issues I appear to be so involved in.....

Posted by: Chris | May 17, 2009 10:52 AM

To Chris: We WOULD still care if it were a lobster. Or a fish, a squid, a peacock, an antelope, a shark, a praying mantis... Animal rights and welfare isn't just about the ones who are cute and fuzzy. It's about the unfair treatment of these creatures, defenseless or not. I've heard countless times comments like "They're just pests, they're just vermin, why should we care?" after I talked about rats being used for animal experiments. Like I said before, we don't just care for the cutest, the smallest or the cuddliest animal. We care for all of them. Period.

Posted by: Andrea | May 17, 2009 11:37 AM

Ok, I really hate the idea that they need to be killed off because it is neccessary. In Texas we have deer season because some idiotic joe-bob believes that the dear will die off because of overpopulation issues. But if you see the amount of vegetation in texas you will see that this is not true. And many ppl in my town actually like to feed them and you can see them all over the place at night. In texas, the issue isn't overpopulation it's that ppl just like to hunt. Deer hunting is not necessary due to overpopulation. So maybe you guys in Alaska can look to solutions on how to prevent their starvation without killing them have you ever thought of that? Looking at how long ya'll have been practicing bashing these animals on the head you haven't. I was hospitalized because of a tramatic brain injury and although I was pronounced dead, I lived. How do you know the little buggers are dead and not just knocked out? Even if you see blood on the ground this does not mean that they are dead and you could be causing an inhumane slow and painful death.

Posted by: Jackie | May 17, 2009 12:34 PM

erm.... how does the US senate control canada?

Posted by: unanimous | May 17, 2009 05:04 PM

i dont understand. the seals are being killed to controll the population? why do humans have to play god?

Posted by: bna | May 17, 2009 05:36 PM

Honestly, its ridiculous that people have to go to such violent tactics to kill these poor animals.. i'm glad the u.s is getting involved in animal rights.

Posted by: Nicky | May 17, 2009 08:22 PM

Lauren,
Amen!
:)

Posted by: Jess | May 17, 2009 10:27 PM

That's great news. I can't believe people actually have the nerve to club poor, defenseless seals to death. You have to be one cold-hearted creature to even do that. I hate how humans think that just because seals are slower than us and can't run away that we can just take advantage of that and murder them for money!

Posted by: Kristen | May 17, 2009 11:07 PM

chris ; u r entitled 2 ur opinion but peta is an animal rights group so i missed the part of where do we suppose 2 care about wt people r doing 2 each other ??? come on man have some comun sense baby seals r doing wt God left them here 2 do wich is to live their lives free in a natural ordr of things if a whale or a shark ate them we would not be sad for that is the natural order the way God intented but for a man killer to go into his home yes we share the same world to go into his home and kill him for his fur how is that normal or fair ??? so if we dont stop this massacre than who will ? people like u?? i think if ur so worry about helping people than u should do just that and stop wastin ur time with us cause honestly U R IN THE WRONG SITE DARLING HERE WE LOVE AND CARE FOR THE animals and we FIGHT ANIMAL CRUELTY wake up already man ur dumb ha ha !!!!

Posted by: ROSE CORLETTO | May 18, 2009 02:12 AM

Perhaps the most illogical argument is the defense of killing by hunters based on the contradiction: "We have to kill the animals or they might die." Now, hunters are not the sharpest tools in the shed, but one would expect even them to see the absurdity in this.

Posted by: Jamie Rivet | May 18, 2009 03:53 AM

Don't slaughter the seals. They are like us humans who need food to survive.

Posted by: Linda | May 18, 2009 06:28 AM

Titus: You seriously need to get a good grip of yourself bud. With insane and barbaric views such as your what in Gods name are you doing on this web site in the first place? This place is for people who care about and want to end the cruelty and savagery dished out to animals by man! Not morons like you! Nothing, absolutely nothing can justify this annual barbarous slaughter. Not jobs, not tradition not ANYTHING! Canada must END it now and stop lying about WHY they do it. Whenever and where ever animals are commercially killed on a scale such as this there is only ever 1 thing behind it all, M.O.N.E.Y!

Posted by: Carlos | May 18, 2009 08:54 AM

i think that this should be stopped:)

Posted by: megan | May 18, 2009 09:30 AM

OMG!!! I'm sooo happy to hear the good news!!! I'm a huge animal lover and it kills me inside to know that people would harm a beutiful animal this way!! how would they like it if they got hit in the head over and over again while your screaming and crying in pain!!! And the poor mother seals have sit by and watch their babys get killed, and for what...to be sold in a store. That god somethings being done!!!!

Posted by: Carla | May 18, 2009 10:17 AM

First of all, Titus,
Wake up and smell the death!!!
Look up the definiton of the word "evolve".... That's what we humans are here to do. You are out of touch. Where do you get off deciding what life gets to live and die?
There will never be a world of peace while killing of any kind takes place: Slaughterhouses, seal hunting, animals in labs, etc.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” Mahatma Gandhi

We have to wake up and have much more empathy than exists right now to progress as a nation and as human beings.

Posted by: Kelly Sparks | May 18, 2009 10:52 AM

Titus. Wake the fu... up. Slaughtering seals is barbaric. It is not OUR place to take it upon ourselves as humans to decide that we need to kill animals because they may or may not starve. And how the hell do you know if they starve you ignorant fool. Maybe we should kill homeless people with a hit to the head to! Arn't they starving also??????? Who the hell made us GOD?

Posted by: carla | May 18, 2009 02:19 PM

scuze me JACK. This IS Peta. We care about animals. Get over it and get off the site if you think different. Your an ignorant jerk.

Posted by: carla | May 18, 2009 02:44 PM

Love your comment Kelly Sparks. Titus deserves zero attention.. he is obviously a moron. And I love that Statement about the greatness of a nation. People who are bringing up OTHER issues, such as economy, war, yada yada yada... hello.. THIS IS PETA. LEAVE US ALONE IF YOU DO NOT SUPPORT OUR VIEWS.

Posted by: carla | May 18, 2009 02:52 PM

While many of your arguments make some measured amount of sense, Titus has a point, to a certain extent. Most seals are shot, quite humanely, and not clubbed - clubbing is only used if a bullet fails. Furthermore, I find it a little hypocritical that folks so divorced from the natural food chain deign to comment on it. It's easy to say these things when the seal hunt doesn't put food on the table at home.
Not the salient point, though. While Newfoundland and Labrador sealer may survive and find new labour, the Inuit of Canada's far north, who have lived off of and traded seal products for centuries, are going to be irreparably harmed by this. They are living beings whose lives will be hurt, and little to no provision is made to mitigate this. Some of the more enlightened (Nordic) countries of Europe, who well know that animals can be hunted and used by human beings in a responsible manner (especially during the cold winters) knew this and bought Inuit seal products. Now they cannot, and a culture millenia old is being hamstrung by people who have likely never been near a seal in their lives. I'm not saying that the hunt can't stand to be changed, but I would save the PETA rage for factory farms and genetic engineering, where animals are being tortured, rather than just hunted as humans have done for thousands of years.

Posted by: Neal | May 18, 2009 07:30 PM

Damnit, people. Seals are carnivores, and we are their only natural predators. If we stopped hunting them, the fishing industry would collapse and many people would become poor and starve. Animals are not people. They do not think like people, they barely even come close to people. Treating them cruelly is abominable, yes. But guess what? All of those animals you are protecting wouldn't care for a moment if they saw your corpse lying in the forest. A good portion of them would eat you or make you into a home. Also, veganism is well known to cause sterility on occasion, so don't expect to raise your kids vegan, because you might just not have any. Humans = Omnivores. Ethical treatment means treating them nicely, it means nothing about not eating them. If you want to get rid of animal testing and meat eating so bad, suggest yourselves as the alternatives. Get eaten or tested on, so the animals don't. Then everyone is happy.

Posted by: Mr. Retro | May 18, 2009 08:29 PM

Ahh the trotted out excuse "we use much more than just the fur." Tyler I suggest you watch the videos on youtube False comments 1-13 in particular the one "we use much more than jyst the fur" and see for yourself. And why are all these dissenters coming on here and trying to P everyone off with their recycled garbage, which was most likely fed to them by the DFO? (Sighs).

Posted by: Tim Smith | May 18, 2009 11:21 PM

yay us senate!
who in their right mind wears seal fur anyway? those people are so sick.

Posted by: melissa | May 19, 2009 12:22 AM

Thankyou US Senate. Since Prime Minister Harper is bending over backwards to impress the US, this move should certainly yank his chain!

Posted by: Linda | May 19, 2009 08:43 AM

The point of any argument or debate is that it has sides. You can't have a one sided argument. It lacks balance. I keep hearing responses saying basically 'why are you here this is a PETA website.' That may be true but what sort of stance are you taking if all your comments are just patting each other on the back and not actually talking about the issues?

Posted by: Chris | May 19, 2009 11:54 AM

While at Trader Joe's shopping, I put back the maple syrup I was going to buy, Puffins cereal also, both from Canada. We will never visit Canada again, and many more feel this way. The boycott is on Canada, wake the heck up!

Posted by: Rob | May 19, 2009 01:59 PM

im very very glad they cant stop to kill those poor animals

Posted by: diana | May 19, 2009 05:43 PM

To those who cite seal slaughter is merciful because of seal overpopulation:
There are how many billions of humans on the planet, not only using but wasting resources that are not 'ours'? Oh, and taking someone off life support who is suffering and has requested it is unethical?
I think you get my point.

Posted by: Shaheen | May 19, 2009 07:10 PM

why would you want to do that kind of thing to animals. im glad that they arr taking action to stop this.

Posted by: jaylen | May 20, 2009 08:13 AM

Wow Rob that's some hard hitting stuff. Not buying maple syrup and cereal?! You might have just secured your spot in heaven next to Che and Harvey Milk. You took one second out of your day at your local store and said no I will not take this. I will not sweeten my pancakes. No I will not have a bowl of your seal killing cereal. You stood up and shouted to the Gods that your act of Friday night activism will turn the tides. You paused your Tivo because you care. And I'm sure that Canada will pause and listen. They will stop and wonder why something feels different one morning. Somehow they'll feel empty. Like something is out of place. Then it will hit them. ROB didn't buy our maple syrup. Oh God, you mean Rob didn't buy our cereal either? Then, after a moment of silence, the country of Canada will mourn the loss of Rob and the five dollars he was going to spend on their gross national budget.

Posted by: Chris | May 20, 2009 08:21 AM

I don't see why anyone is getting excited over this.
First off, why would Canada care what the U.S. Senate is saying? It's a statement not a law affecting trade, thus it has no consequence.

Second: Since it's a statement and does not affect reality then this smells like nothing more than a soothing move to the animal rights movement at best and a diversionary tactic at worst to steer attention away from other ethically questionnable practices in the U.S.

Posted by: Steven | May 20, 2009 12:34 PM

For those of you who are making spurious arguments that the seals need to be killed to prevent "overpopulation" here are some things for you to consider:
1) Before humans became so dominant on Earth, who were maintaining populations from the top-down? The answer: other predators which, by the way, we have conveniently removed. I have always laughed at the argument that humans need to hunt deer "because they starve otherwise," considering we raise beef cattle on public lands and then shoot all the natural predators. If deer weren't forced to compete with beef cattle and if native predators like wolves weren't villified and persecuted, there wouldn't be any overpopulation problem. 2) And as for whether it's preferable to have animals die from human or natural causes, that's beside the point. When one species becomes dominant in an ecosystem, it usually follows that there is a loss of biodiversity. We can safely say that humans are reducing biodiversity. The species that help to keep human populations and, therefore, human influence "in check" are few.
3) I notice how humans hold themselves separate from all other species when it comes to addressing overpopulation. Five billion people is way too much for this Earth to support for a sustained amount of time.
4) You really have no legitamate arguments for killing defenseless animals. You clearly have no science education, and when other people do, you can't fool them either.
To all the animal lovers reading this: I think we need to condemn pro-hunting arguments and the people who make them, even when they are illiterate and obviously just trying to intimidate. You'd be surprized by the number of people who change to help other species when you spread both scientific literacy and compassion.

Posted by: Jennie | May 22, 2009 01:03 PM

I am also a Canadian who is disgusted at our government and the seal hunt. I get so angry when I hear people say that the seals are eating too many fish or they will starve unless the slaughter takes place. Human beings have fished out our oceans and we should be doing something about it. Our government should be setting up hatchery facilities all over the east coast where these sealers can be employed to implement the raising of fish from the egg stage to release stage. We created the problem, we should be rectifying it.

Posted by: Cathy | May 22, 2009 04:36 PM

Dear Tyler,

We oppose ALL hunting, not just seals. There is action being taken across the world defending ALL animals, farmed AND hunted. There is no respect or compassion in hunting or killing an animal. People don't come first. They put themselves first with total disregard for all other living beings they share the planet with. When we place animals equal to us, animals who are so often so alien we find it hard to relate to them, then we may learn respect for the differences we see in each other as humans and stop hurting each other also. Differences are differences. They are not wrong. Animals do not deserve a death sentence just for being different. Each animal is whole and complete. Please look at the dvd Earthlings and the PETA podcasts Invisible animals and Nonviolence includes animals. Try to look at the world from another's eyes. I used to hunt, fish, eat meat. I used to ridicule vegetarians. I used to share your views in many ways. And I used to call myself an animal lover. Then I saw Earthlings and all that changed. I now advocate for animals. I am currently trying to prevent two koalas from being incarcerated in a display cage. Also - several retiles. Who are not cute. But they are sentient beings who haven't committed a crime. They don't deserve to be in prison. The seals haven't committed a crime. They don't deserve the death penalty. In 100 years I won't even be a footnote in this century's greatest social justice movement - animal protection. But I'll be a part of it. And generations who follow will be able to hold up their heads in pride and say our forebears fought for the animals. I pray yours do not have to hang their heads in shame and say our forebears did nothing or worse, opposed animal protection.

Posted by: Linda Dicmanis | May 23, 2009 07:10 PM

Thank you Jamie for this pearl:

"We have to kill the animals or they might die."

It's beautifully understated irony. Beautiful.

It made me laugh in an issue that should make any compassionate person cry.

I'm going to frame it as the perfect comeback to any people who start using that argument for killing animals.

"We have to kill the animals or they might die?" Raises eyebrow.

I'll count the seconds till they start blushing from embarrassment.

Posted by: Linda Dicmanis | May 23, 2009 07:34 PM

Dear Luke,

Who would go to see seals? Please go to your local travel agencies. Eco-tourism is big business the world over. There are many people who want to see live wild animals in the wild, not nesessarily tearing each other to pieces.

Dear Chris,

The thing is, the soldiers all chose to be there and take part in a war killing each other. The donkeys didn't but they are invisible to most humans. Recently we had bushfires here that killed 173 humans. Millions of animals died, wildlife and livestock, but the only figure you eve hear is 173 humans as though the others don't count. They need to count.

Dear Jack,

Actually, most us think about all these issues AND seals AND all the other animals whose lives are being abused AND global warming AND ....lots of other things.
Just because we posted a post here does not mean for the rest of our time we aren't doing LOTS of other things.

As for soldiers fighting for us - they are fighting for us so that we CAN do these things. They are fighting for our freedom. We are soldiers in a war also - the greatest undeclared war in human history - the war against the animal nations. We are fighting for THEIR freedom. But we aren't killing humans because we respect all animal life. We are just trying to change hearts and minds like Mahatma Ghandhi did with non violence.

If we don't change, if we don't get this world back in balance, nature is going to do it for us. Nature has a way of wiping out entire species. There will come a virus we can't stop. We've already seen bird flu, swine flu. We are causing those with our current practices. Saving animals, getting the balance back, will save our own skins. As a biologist I know the fragility of ecosystems. We are pulling out species after species and most people don't realise the interconnections. Pull out enough and the whole system collapses like a pyramid with its middle or base blocks removed. We are at the top of the pyramid. We should be worried about every block beneath us. Because if they fall, we do. So when you ask why do we fight to protect donkeys or seals or any other animal? Because at the end of the day, by protecting them, we are potentially saving ourselves.

Posted by: Linda Dicmanis | May 23, 2009 08:06 PM

Dear Mr Retro,

Humans eating humans is a truly bad idea for so many reasons, including health reasons. I'm surprised you've suggested such a thing. Do you REALLY think that is a good idea? I think you might lose the support of ALL your fellow humans, not just animal rights carers.

As for testing on humans, that already happens. I often see requests for human volunteers at my University. I'm pretty sure most of those volunteers aren't PETA members.

The fishing industry is already collapsing because of over-fishing by humans. If humans stop fishing and leave it to the seals, I'll hazard a guess there will be a pretty good balance.

Yes - you are right - animals are not people.

But:

All animals feel hungry and thirsty just as we do. When they are delighted they skip with joy just as we do. They value their family, they love their friends. They hurt like we do. Animals may come in different packages, but inside, they like us are just emotional beings. They are full of thoughts and full of feelings.
Animals are individuals like us. They may not look like us, but they are like us in all the important ways. And I wonder how many of us realise, as the British philosopher Henry Baston once said, “That they are actually other nations.” That’s how we can think of them. Other nations who have their own cultures, their own languages, their own interests just as people from other countries that we meet who may be remote to us have theirs.

Granted, these animals may not have all the desires we humans have; granted, they do not comprehend everything we humans comprehend; nevertheless we and they do have some of the same desires and do comprehend some of the same things.
The desires for food and water, shelter and companionship, freedom of movement and the avoidance of pain. These desires are shared by non human animals and human beings.

As for comprehension, like humans, many non human animals understand the world in which they live and move. Otherwise they could not survive. So beneath the many differences, there is sameness. Like us, these animals embody the mystery and wonder of consciousness. Like us, they are not only in the world, they are aware of it. Like us they are the psychological centres of a life that is uniquely there own.

We patronise them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren; they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners in the splendour and travail of the earth.

Many of the words above are borrowed but no less relevant herethan the sources they originated from.

Posted by: Linda Dicmanis | May 23, 2009 08:37 PM

Granted Jennie, and I myself have "postponed" a trip to Canada until the seal-clubbing ends. There are millions who feel this way. When the seal-clubbing ends...things will be different. Millions of people will start travelling to Canada again...and the current boycotts in place will be revoked.

Posted by: Tim Smith | May 24, 2009 02:20 AM

I am Canadian and feel that it is essesntial that this "hunt" be abolished. I'm tired of the excuses made by my government and do not want this to go on another second. It's nonsense. The hunters, governemnt supporters and others who are for the disgusting seal slaughter better hope they aren't born again as a seal, because well maybe Karma would bite back . . . or should I say club back. . .

Posted by: Mel | May 24, 2009 03:19 AM

Steven. First of all...your a jerk. Secondly.. we don't care if you don't care what the US Senate Says. Maybe the damn Canadian Government should step up to the plate and stop this discusting brutal killing of innocent seals. It sounds like you condone it, which makes you an ahole! USA

Posted by: carla | May 24, 2009 01:34 PM

Mr. Retro.. Let's throw you out to the forest so that you can get eaten by our beloved animals. One less a**hole in the world is ok with me.

Posted by: carla | May 24, 2009 01:38 PM

the seal slaughter video was so sad but i burst into tears when the baby seal screamed

Posted by: neda | May 25, 2009 03:21 PM

this "statemenet" faild to say that the inuit sue the seal as food. so people look into the story form other points of veiv.

Posted by: someonesowheresomeplace | May 26, 2009 12:17 AM

Now is this ever the pot calling the kettle black. Americans asking us Canadians to stop a seal hunt. A nation of people who seem to enjoy shooting and killing just about everything that moves, including each other quite often. I tell ya what ... I support the end of the seal hunt when you give up both hunting and gun ownership. Until then just shut up .... please.

Posted by: Louis Cypher | May 26, 2009 11:27 PM

The twaddle perpetuated by baby seal clubbing fans "it's no different to a slaughterhouse" "why aren't you fighting for other animals who are being slaughtered" "it's humane" is simply that - twaddle!

Posted by: Tim Smith | May 27, 2009 01:46 AM

I have never seen anything so inhumane in my life. If you have a heart you could not possible agree with the treatment of these beautiful creatures. God pray for all of us....

Posted by: carol marchuk | May 28, 2009 10:23 AM

Chris... not only are we not buying your maple syrup or your cereal... but also travel to Canada and all seafood.. Get a grip. Canada has a bad name right now. And it's your idiot leaders who took you there. It sounds like you don't really give two shits about these poor seals. Your a pathetic jerk.

Posted by: carla | May 28, 2009 06:50 PM

Louis. As an American citizen I am opposed to any killing, I don't give a s**t whether it is here in the USA or Canada!!! It's all one world and who the hell cares where it is. It's wrong on every level and in EVERY country! So, wake up and smell the coffee, dude

Posted by: carla | May 28, 2009 07:30 PM

Um. Mr. Tim Smith. Obviously we are against slaughterhouses along with the seal hunt and many, many other sickening tortures that any animal has to endure at human beings selfish acts. What tunnel did you climb out from under????????

Posted by: carla | May 28, 2009 07:34 PM

Club-a-seal is funner than whack-a-mole. I watched the video and did not think that it seemed that inhumane compared to real animal cruelty. It seems more they need to make sure people are using the hakapiks properly. I think it is more humane to kill something by a quick smash than hung up to bleed to death.

Posted by: Gabe | May 29, 2009 03:58 AM

GO SENATORS GO!
we can stop this cruelty!

Posted by: Julia | May 29, 2009 09:55 AM

I, like many other Canadians, support both the rights to hunt and fish for food and ceremonial purposes of all of our aboriginal peoples, as well as the right of non-aboriginal fishermen to practice a sustainable seal harvest.

I would ask PETA this: how is the seal hunt any different from the annual caribou hunt, or the salmon fishery on the West coast, or the cod fishery off the Grand Banks? It's not, the only difference is that the seals happen to be more cute than a codfish or a caribou.

Those who have ever lived off the land know that there is nothing unnatural about eating meat and killing another animal to get it, but they also know that sustainability is the only way to ensure the survival of both you and the species you are hunting. Is hunting seal now less sustainable than engaging in large-scale industrial farming with petro chemicals? I think not.

Posted by: Jack | May 31, 2009 01:27 PM

I just wanted to say that while I'm sure there are many PETA members who are against all forms of hunting that you must admit that are still many who are involving themselves only because of the baby seal imagery. If you read through the posts there are lots of comments about ending the BABY seal hunt. Anyway, it just sort of proves the point that PETA is misleading the general public in order to get them involved by making us imagine cute little baby seals being killed.

Posted by: Amy | May 31, 2009 09:53 PM

@ Mr. Retro

If you really wanna get eaten by animals then take Titus with you. And Gabe, you suck. Why do people kill seals? Because they enjoy it? Why do they enjoy it? Because they THINK that they have nothing better to do. Killing something is not something good. While all you people out there who think we kill seals because we can and we have to.
How are the seals going to live if people are beating them with metal clubs (with hooks on the end) and the people are saying: They are going to grow overpopulated!!!!!!!!!!!
@ carla.
If you really cared about the entire world you would care about the ENTIRE world. That doesnt mean all the animals running around trying to survive. While instead of actually DOING something about it, you sit and curse at people. And have you ever killed an annoying fly/ ant/ etc.? You probably have. And have you felt sorry about what you are depriving from them. Dont say you are trying to protect animal rights when all you do is curse at people.
Help stop the slaughter without yelling at other people to do something. And ONLY telling people to go out there and do it isnt helping.

Posted by: DDD | June 1, 2009 03:01 PM

Jack.. slamming seals over the head is sick, cruel and barbaric. And, we are killing them for their skin. Your a fool...

Posted by: carla | June 1, 2009 03:17 PM

To the comment saying "These creatures are more than a bit overpopulated folks. They are starving to death. Now you consider the slow process of death through starvation, vs having your skull cracked open"
THIS ISN'T ABOUT BEING "MERCIFUL" this is about humans killing innocent animals. When they die of starvation its because of nature. Nature has its course leave it be. TOO MANY times have we humans interfered with nature and now where are we? Holes in the ozone layer, toxic waste in the oceans and drought. Do you think we're being "merciful" now, or helping any sort of life form? I think not. Your just coming up with silly reasons to make yourself feel better about the situation..

people -_-

I say stop the slaughter. It is not fair. Its not right. Thats all i have to say.

Posted by: Isaac | June 3, 2009 09:40 PM

Why are you people fighting? You're promoting peace for animals. How about peace for humans? I agree that slaughtering seals IS wrong, but shouldn't we be out there doing something about it instead of commenting on some website?

Posted by: Caitlin Dye | June 4, 2009 02:07 AM

Scuze me Ms. Dye.. why are you even on here? This is a site because we are fighting for our beloved animals. Why the hell do you care what we are doing? You go do something else instead!

Posted by: carla | June 4, 2009 10:33 AM

STOP seals should live. and its what nature intended for them to become overpopulated. Plus, they are BABY seals. HELLO. Like they could overpopulate when they are still babies. So overpopulation- not an excuse.
Carla, you telling people to do something and not doing anything yourself is stupid.

Posted by: DDD | June 4, 2009 01:49 PM

DDD... I am supporting Peta. But people who come on here and do not should go do something else instead. That is what I mean. your stupid.

Posted by: carla | June 5, 2009 09:44 AM

i'm living in a pretty hip town Wilmington,NC, and they have newspapers, magazines, etc. but never have I seen anything about canadian seal beatings. glad i tuned in here.
What does your average knucklehead do for this problem?

Posted by: Will Train | June 10, 2009 01:42 AM

Why are people bringing the Inuit into this? We're against COMMERICIAL seal hunting, hello. The Inuit only hunt adult seals and the Inuit seal hunt only take up about 3% of total Canadian seal hunt anyway. Besides, most Inuits don't even live in Newfoundland. The commercial sealers only make a very small fraction of their income from seal hunting. There are better alternatives to sealing, such as ecotourism, so why not just stop the seal hunting?

As for you people defending sealing because "seals are overpopulated and they would eat up all the cods if we stopped hunting," first of all, there's a problem with Canadian fishers overfishing, so why not mention that? And seals don't only eat cods; they eat natural predators of cods too.
I do care about the genocide in Darfur and such, and in fact I've donated many times to causes concerning human rights. However, this is PETA and we're talking about animal rights here. If I were on, say,the UNICEF website, then I'd be talking about abolishing child slavery. But no, I'm on peta.org so I'm defending animal rights, sheesh.

Posted by: Hannah | June 13, 2009 06:33 PM

I have no idea how Mr. Retro got past the dumb comment filter.

Posted by: Jacob | June 17, 2009 02:59 PM

A Nation is judged by the way they treat there animals.

Posted by: Kathy Shaw | June 18, 2009 02:30 PM