Paul McCartney won't face won't face charges for illegally hugging a seal pup earlier this week in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to protest against the annual seal cull in Canada, federal fishing officers have decided.
Under Canadian law it's illegal to “disturb a marine mammal except when fishing for marine mammals”, despite being legal to shoot or club seal pups to death during the two-month hunt.
The ex-Beatles star and his wife, Heather Mills McCartney, who are calling for an international ban on the use of seal skins, have described the hunt as “brutal”, adding:
"These pups haven't even had a swim yet.
"They're totally reliant on their mothers. They're helpless."
"It was terrifying to think that in probably three weeks time, the sealers will arrive with clubs and pickaxes and with guns and will kill a huge amount of these baby seals," Paul has also said.
During the hunt, 300,000 seal pups - more than a third of all those born - are killed for fur and meat. Supporters insist it is humane and say is good for the local economy.
The PETA website has more information on the seal hunts.
Comments
Why would anyone except eskimos want to wear fur? It's just wrong.
You can wrap up perfectly warm without using fur - as Sir Paul has shown.
Posted by: Richard Quick | March 4, 2006 4:38 PM
it's disgusting. the poor baby seals :(
Posted by: Anonymous | March 5, 2006 4:42 PM
I have personally hunted seals in the past and see absolutely nothing wrong with it. Have you ever looked into the eyes of a chicken before you slaughter it, have you ever looked int o the eyes of a cow before taking the nail-gun to it's head, have you ever wondered what a Pig is thinking before it is hunt to be slaughtered? Then why should you worry about a seal? Wake up people, it is just a livlihood and tasetes good!!!!
Posted by: Joel | March 6, 2006 1:43 AM
joel, you obviously have some issues. get some psychological help you insane person.
plus how the hell is saying seals are cute so contentious that someone needs to use their real name? u stupid idiot mike!
Posted by: Anonymous | March 6, 2006 10:52 PM
Nice Comment Mike!!!!!
Ever taste Seal???
YUMMY YUMMY
Posted by: whydontjablowme | March 8, 2006 2:23 PM
OK. I'm a newfie, so don't think I'm all "Go seal hunt, go!" beacuse of that. I'll admit, it makes me sad to watch them kill the seals, but I also helped slaughter chickens one day, and I'm sorry but gassing 400 chickens isn't any better. The thing is, whether its a chicken or a cute little seal getting killed, its still an animal, and if you watch it die, its horrible. Its not really any different from killing pigs, chickens or cows or any other animal that you eat. I happen to think all these animals are just as cute as seals, and they as well taste so darn good, so if they gotta be slaughtered, go ahead, just don't vidoetape it, and broadcast it. As for baby pups getting killed, is there an age limit to killing cows?? Hmmm....the word veal comes to mind now. And do you really know how old an animal is if you go to a restaurant and eat it?? Nope. So get over it. Some people in Newfoundland depend on the seal fishery for income, the same as a cattle farmer does. Go there and take a video of a cow getting slaughtered, and see if the person doing the slaughtering is crying. Newt week you'll see someone else on CNN arguing with a cattle farmer in AB to save the cows. HA HA HA!
Posted by: Sheena | March 8, 2006 7:07 PM
Okay, for all of you avid lovers of anything that's cuddly and cute, listen up.
I just have one item here that's of some interest.
http://www.lovestreetgallery.com/4171.html
Also, if this was a pack of rats, being poisoned to death with rat poison, thinning their blood and the rats dying slowly, or getting their legs caught in traps and end up freezing to death overnight, then no one would care. The fact it's an ex beatle and seals appear cute is something else to consider I guess. Seems like all the cute animals get all the attention in matters such as these, while leaving chickens, cows, rats, and other non-cute animals to the 'slaughter'.
We're at the top of the foodchain, and I see nothing with the seal hunt. Especially when the meat, oil and pelts are being used, the money's putting food on the table, and we're regulating a species that is currently already overpopulated.
Argue all you want, we've hunted, currently hunt, and will always continue to hunt. Stop wasting your money and breath trying to stop this because we have a strong enough market within our own country alone to support this.
Prehaps you should visit
http://www.lovestreetgallery.com/4171.html
and take a look at your 'Leader' Paul. The stench of hypocrisy is sickening.
Posted by: Matt | March 8, 2006 7:21 PM
it is illegal to hunt "pups" for starters. They don't kill the white furry ones. Any kind of meat comes from a LIVING animal that is KILLED. killing is violent. Why the sudden double standard? Beacuase seals have cute babies? Anyone seen the movie babe? You realize that following the movie he was shot, probably multiple times, by a farmer purched on a fencepost right?
Posted by: j-roc | March 10, 2006 2:29 AM