In H E Re N Tly in H U M a N E V Eterinary Experts Have Suggested for a Num

Inherently Inhumane

Veterinary experts have suggested for a number of years that large scale commercial seal hunting operations are inherently inhumane—not necessarily because of the tools used by sealers, but because of the inability of sealers to apply humane killing techniques in the field environments they work in, the inability of authorities to monitor the killing and enforce regulations, and the speed at which the killing must be conducted.

A 2007 study of the commercial seal hunt, conducted by a European team of veterinarians and zoologists said of the Canadian commercial seal hunt, “EU and Canadian welfare standards in slaughterhouses require that unconsciousness is induced painlessly and without the need to repeat the application of the stunning method. The methods of hunting seals in

Canada fall short of this expectation, and the large number of animals involved each year means that this method of hunting should be considered unacceptable.” In her 2007 analysis, Dr. Mary Richardson, a Canadian veterinary expert in humane slaughter methods, stated, “Canada’s commercial © Humane Society International seal hunt…cannot be made acceptably humane according to Canadian and international standards of humane slaughter. History and the best available science shows that Canada’s commercial seal hunt is inherently inhumane.”

What Can Stop the Cruelty?

Despite countless veterinary recommendations over the past fifty years, and many changes to regulations, veterinary and video evidence confirms commercial seal hunting continues to result in unacceptable levels of cruelty. As one official observer of the Canadian seal hunt stated in the 1966, “The only way to prevent cruelty altogether is to abolish the industry, and this could only be attained if the demand for pelts and oil was to cease.”

Ending the international trade in seal products will remove the financial incentives for fishermen to kill seals, and save millions of animals from a horrible fate. It will also motivate governments to finally invest in more lucrative, safe and sustainable opportunities for those affected.

Only a strong ban on seal product trade—without exemptions for humane slaughter methods that cannot exist in practice —can end the suffering of seals, and meet the expectations of Europeans and their Parliamentarians.

With veterinary evidence consistently showing unacceptable levels of cruelty at the Canadian commercial seal hunt, many Do sealers abide by the regulations? people have asked if a combination of stronger regulations, better enforcement, and training for seal hunters could address the problem. An examination of the factors surrounding commercial seal hunts shows why these measures will never stop No. More than 50 years of veterinary evidence proves that seal hunters routinely the cruelty, and why industrial scale slaughters of seals are inherently inhumane. fail to abide by the few regulations that exist to protect seals. This clear disregard for the law does not necessarily exist because sealers are intentionally cruel, but How would veterinary guidelines define humane slaughter in commercial seal hunts? because the physical environment in which seal hunts operate do not permit the application of humane slaughter methods in a consistent manner. Veterinary authorities the world over have produced guidelines on what constitutes “humane euthanasia.” Those © Humane Society International/ B. Skerry guidelines and numerous veterinary studies, and the EFSA Scientific Opinion on the Can seal hunts be effectively monitored and regulations enforced? Animal Welfare Aspects of the Killing and Skinning of Seals suggest the following four-step process should be performed to adhere to international “The area that they must patrol is very extensive, the number of sealers is large, and sealing operations are multifaceted. humane slaughter standards: For these reasons it is impossible to keep all parts of the seal hunt under close supervision at all times.” - Royal Commission on Seals and the Sealing Industry, 1986 1) Stunning the seal with one blow or bullet to the skull

2) Immediately checking for unconsciousness through a corneal reflex test No. Commercial seal hunts occur in remote areas, in harsh environmental 3) Immediately bleeding the seal out conditions, over vast areas. Canada’s commercial seal hunt, for example, occurs 4) Remaining with the seals throughout the bleeding process to ensure they over an area of ocean larger than the size of France. It is conducted by thousands do not regain consciousness of commercial fishermen working from hundreds of sealing vessels, spread out over thousands of miles. In many areas, the hunting occurs so far offshore that Do current regulations prescribe a humane death for seals? © Humane Society International/ B. Skerry helicopters are unable to reach the area. Veterinary reports have confirmed for decades that the commercial seal hunt is not being effectively monitored. No. There are no countries with commercial seal hunts that require the steps outlined above. The absence of these Independent monitoring poses an even greater challenge. No sealing country requirements in all sealing regulations in the world, despite repeated recommendations by veterinary experts over the past allows open access to NGOs or the public to monitor the killing. NGO observers half-century, suggests governments are well aware sealers would be unable to carry out humane slaughter in the field face the same environmental obstacles as government monitors, and the cost of environments in which seal hunts occur. monitoring hunting in remote locations is prohibitive. © Humane Society International

Can humane killing methods be applied consistently in large scale commercial seal hunts? No party—whether governmental or non-governmental—can adequately monitor commercial seal hunts—and without an

ability to monitor the killing, there is no way regulations can be enforced. No. The field environments in which large-scale commercial seal hunts operate make it impossible for sealers to apply humane killing techniques in an effective or consistent way. Canada’s commercial seal hunt—the largest slaughter of © Humane Society International/ M. Gyger marine mammals on earth—occurs far offshore, on unstable sea ice, often in extreme weather conditions and low visibility. In 1977, Dr. Harry Rowsell, a veterinarian appointed by the Canadian government to observe the commercial seal hunt, noted, “Sealing is, in fact, a slaughter operation and seals should be given the same consideration and concern given to domestic animals in the abattoir.” However, unlike in an abattoir, seals are not physically restrained during the stunning process, leading to a high level of inaccurate head shots and blows, and unacceptable suffering.

Moreover, sealers are under enormous pressure to kill seals quickly and leave the area—for their own safety, the security of their vessels, and because of the high cost of operating vessels at the seal hunt. It is important to note that if humane slaughter guidelines were to be applied, sealers would be unable to kill seals on ice that would not support the weight of the sealer during the clubbing, testing and bleeding process; shoot at seals when unable to guarantee an accurate head shot; club seals when unable to guarantee an accurate blow to the skull; kill seals in or near open water; or shoot at seals from long distances.

In theory, this would make it impossible for virtually every industrial scale commercial seal hunt to operate.