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• Atlantic Seal Hunt

The Atlantic Seal Hunt

The BC SPCA is opposed to Canada's annual seal hunt. 

Since the early 1960's, the Society has advocated this position within the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, expressing animal welfare concerns regarding the predominant methods used to kill seals during the hunt.

 Photo courtesy of IFAW 

Our Concerns 

The BC SPCA considers the use of blunt trauma by untrained individuals to be an unacceptable method of killing animals and therefore considers the primary method used to kill seals in Canada to be an inhumane practice.

The Canadian government's literature cites the practices used to kill seals during the annual hunt as "...at least as humane as, and often more humane than, the killing methods used in commercial slaughterhouses." In North American abattoirs, a 95% accuracy rate for achieving unconsciousness on the first blow is considered acceptable, according to standards developed by the American Meat Institute. A 99% accuracy rate is considered excellent. 

These facilities also use pneumatic guns designed specifically to apply adequate force to achieve instantaneous unconsciousness when used properly. Does the seal hunt meet this standard?

There is considerable disagreement between reports on the ability of sealers to render these animals unconscious with a single blow (e.g. International Fund for Animal Welfare; Daoust et al). Both IFAW and Daoust et al performed veterinary examination of the skulls of a sizeable sample of seals (76 and 167 respectively) and both report substantial proportions of animals whose skulls were not completely crushed by the methods used (17% and 14%, respectively).  

These studies drew contrasting conclusions based upon differing assumptions regarding the severity of skull damage required to render an animal completely unconscious. Whether this evidence is the best means of assessing the suffering endured by these animals is up for debate.

Videotape observations collected by seal hunt observers also indicate that between 7% and 30% (IFAW and Daoust et al, respectively) of attempts to kill seals by shooting and clubbing were not successful in achieving unconsciousness on the first attempt. The BC SPCA considers this to be an unacceptable margin of error.

IFAW's report also indicates inadequacies in the precautions taken by sealers to ensure a humane death, including insufficient consciousness testing and 60-second lag times between striking/shooting and bleeding of animals.

Limits on Observer Distance

In February of 2007, the BC SPCA wrote to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, raising our concern for the proposed increase in observer distance for the 2007 seal hunt. Our submission strongly recommended that observer distances at the seal hunt be maintained at the current limit, to facilitate the monitoring of practices. Specifically, our concerns were summarized as follows:

• Increasing the monitoring distance undermines the ability to determine if practices compromise the welfare of the animals. 

• The way in which seals are killed is under international public scrutiny and in the public interest; therefore, any attempt to restrict or curtail third-party observation is unacceptable.

How You Can Help

As the BC SPCA is mandated to prevent cruelty to animals within the province of British Columbia, our main advocacy efforts are focussed on issues that impact the animals here. To learn more about our advocacy initiatives and to get involved in making a difference, click here

However, the BC SPCA also represents British Columbians who demand better protection for animals across Canada, and accordingly, we encourage concerned citizens to voice their support for humane alternatives to the seal hunt.

If you share our concerns regarding the welfare of animals killed during Canada's annual seal hunt, please voice them by writing to the Prime Minister using IFAW's webform, or write to the Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans at the contact info below, and CC your Member of Parliament.

The Honourable Loyola Hearn
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Parliament Buildings, Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1A 0A6

Email:  Min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

           Hearn.L@parl.gc.ca

Fax:     (613) 995-7858

Not sure how to reach your MP? Visit www.parl.gc.ca to get his or her name and contact information.

Remember, you don’t need a stamp to send a letter to your MP on Parliament Hill.

Reference:

Daoust, P, Crook, A, Bollinger, TK, Campbell, JG, Wong, J. 2002. Animal welfare and the harp seal hunt in Atlantic Canada. Canadian Veterinary Journal. 43: 687-694.

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