URGENT: Speak Out Against Another Proposed Seal Massacre in Canada – sample letter

BACKGROUND | FROM PETA

According to news sources, the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council is considering killing 70 percent of the grey seals who live in the southern reaches of the Gulf of St. Lawrence as an “experiment” to determine if seals are hurting the fishing industry by eating the fish! If this proposal passes, 73,000 seals will be slaughtered immediately, and another 70,000 will be killed over the next four years. Terrified seals will be chased and gunned down, and many won’t die quickly. Orphaned young will be left to starve. All in the name of bad science!

Experts know that killing seals won’t determine anything because there are countless factors involved in fish population dynamics. Please politely urge Fisheries Resource Conservation Council officials to oppose this cruel experiment. Tell them that it’s not based on sound science.

***Please include your postal code and e-mail address when contacting the council.


WHOM TO CONTACT

The Honourable Keith Ashfield
House of Commons
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Parliament Buildings, Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1A 0A6
Email: min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

SAMPLE LETTER 

Dear Honourable Ashfield,

I am writing in response to the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council’s proposal to kill more than 140,000 seals in an effort to determine the seals’ effect on fish populations. This plan is neither scientifically sound nor socially acceptable, and I am urging you to forgo it based on fraudulent science and special interest control.

Please allow me to illustrate a couple of these concerns. First, ecologically, populations will fluctuate according to conditions and naturally-occurring food sources; it is the interference of humans that causes imbalance. To blame and slaughter the seals for human-engineered reasons is both irresponsible and unjustified. Second, killing the seals would artificially increase food supplies to the remaining seals, the consequence of which would be increased reproduction and an ensuing greater seal population. In fact, studies have demonstrated that the continual cycle of seasonal hunting is responsible for larger populations in subsequent years.

This proposition is neither factually valid nor morally justified: animals are sentient creatures, capable of love, fear, pain, and suffering. As humans do, animals experience these emotions and have the desire to live free from exploitation and slaughter. I ask that you please consider your potential participation in this cruel plan. As intelligent people capable of sound conclusions, you should recognize the importance of life over the lies and exaggerations of unscrupulous special interest groups. Additionally, this type of mass killing would certainly adversely affect both visitation and tourism; it would be financially detrimental to implement such a cruel and unnecessary killing since citizens and tourists both have quite vocally rejected seal massacres with boycott consequences.

Thank you for taking the time to read this important message.

NAME, POSTAL CODE, EMAIL ADDRESS

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for those who hunt me because i am a seal
did you ever stop to think just how i feel
i just want to sit on my rocks and ice
if you would leave me be, that would be so nice
my fur is mine, not yours for the taking
just look at all the red blood you are making
go back to your homes, your families, your wives
and leave us seals alone to enjoy our lives

Karen Lyons Kalmenson