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Hey Canada, Stop Slaughtering This Guy

By Amelia Atlas,  Newser User

Posted Apr 15, 2009 6:24 AM CDT

(Newser) – It's time for Canada to end the systematic slaughter of hundreds of thousands of baby seals, argues Kathleen Parker in the Washington Post. While the US and even bear-hunting Vladimir Putin have banned the practice, Canadians keep up the "gruesome drill" of massacring baby seals for their pelts. While Parker usually turns a blind eye, this year PETA sent her a hakapik—"the aptly named bludgeoning and hacking instrument"—which caught her attention.

The hakapik, used to efficiently crush seals' skulls, is theoretically humane, but it's tough to
"properly administer a blow to the head when one is standing on a slippery ice floe swinging a heavy club at a small moving animal." And just because slaughterhouses are cruel does not mean we should extend our cruelty to a "bloody industry" of declining economic importance. "Come on, Canada," Parker argues. "See things Putin's way and I'll donate my hakapik to the museum of your choice."

Activists of Fourrure Torture organisation hold banners to protest against the seal hunt, near the Canadian embassy in Paris, Thursday, March 26, 2009.
Activists of Fourrure Torture organisation hold banners to protest against the seal hunt, near the Canadian embassy in Paris, Thursday, March 26, 2009.   (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Harp seal carcasses litter the ice during the annual East Coast seal hunt in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence around Quebec's Iles de la Madeleine, Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
Harp seal carcasses litter the ice during the annual East Coast seal hunt in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence around Quebec's Iles de la Madeleine, Wednesday, March 25, 2009.   (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Andrew Vaughan)
A young harp seal rests on the ice floes during the annual East Coast seal hunt in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence around Quebec's Iles de la Madeleine, Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
A young harp seal rests on the ice floes during the annual East Coast seal hunt in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence around Quebec's Iles de la Madeleine, Wednesday, March 25, 2009.   (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Andrew Vaughan)
A hunter clubs a harp seal pup on the opening day of Canada's 2008 commercial seal hunt Friday, March 28, 2008. This seal was struck by the hunter and wounded before it escaped into the water.
A hunter clubs a harp seal pup on the opening day of Canada's 2008 commercial seal hunt Friday, March 28, 2008. This seal was struck by the hunter and wounded before it escaped into the water.   (AP Photo/IFAW, Stewart Cook)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Unsheathed, the hakapik is menacing—like having a Shining Jack Nicholson crouched in the corner—and seems more suitable to an exhibit of medieval torture instruments... - Kathleen Parker

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
riffran
Apr 16, 2009 4:44 AM CDT
:)
riffran
Apr 15, 2009 11:37 AM CDT
That has never set well with me....like trophy hunting, just for the sake of the horns.....There are so many other alternatives to keeping warm, and being fashionable than Harp seal fur....
Snowleopard
Apr 15, 2009 6:12 AM CDT
that baby seal is SOOO CUUUTTE. where'd I put my club?

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