Baby Seals, A Cause Worth Action!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

U.S. Congressional Resolution Urges Immediate End to Canada's Commercial
Seal Hunt

The Humane Society of the United States Urges House to Pass Lantos-Shays
Resolution

(May 31, 2007) - A resolution urging the Canadian government to end the
commercial seal hunt has been introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives by Reps. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.) and Christopher Shays
(R-Conn.). The Humane Society of the United States urges quick adoption of
the resolution.

"Canada's commercial seal hunt is the largest slaughter of marine mammals in
the world," said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of The HSUS.
"Hundreds of thousands of baby seals are killed for their fur every year. We
are grateful to Congressman Lantos and Congressman Shays for introducing
this resolution, and for calling on the Canadian government to stop this
cruel massacre."

The resolution, H. Res. 427, notes that more than one million seals have
been killed over the past three years and that in the last five years, 95
percent of the seals killed were between 12 days and 12 weeks of age, many
of them too young to have eaten their first solid meal or taken their first
swim.

"This deeply inhumane practice is far beneath the dignity of the people of
Canada," said Rep. Lantos, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs Committee, where the resolution has been referred. "There is no real
good reason to let this needless slaughter continue, and every reason to put
it to a stop. We call on the Canadian government to suspend the hunt in the
waters off the east coast of Canada now and forever."


"I am committed to animal welfare because I believe humankind has an
obligation to all animals," said Rep. Shays. "I oppose the cruel practice of
killing hundreds of thousands of young seals, as well as the environmental
impact of this practice. Some species have become our companions and some
play important roles in sensitive ecosystems. It is our duty to protect and
care for all of these animals."

In March, U.S. Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine)
also introduced a resolution, S. Res. 118, calling for the end of the hunt.
That resolution was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Facts:

* Canada's commercial seal hunt is the world's largest slaughter of
marine mammals, with more than one million seals killed in the past three
years.

* Well over 95 percent of the seals killed each year are under 3
months old.

* Hunters kill the seals for their skins, which are sold to the
fashion industry in Europe and Asia. The bloody carcasses are left behind on
the ice.

* An independent panel of veterinary experts performed post mortems
on seal carcasses at the hunt in 2001. In 42% of cases they studied, they
concluded the seal did not show enough evidence of cranial injury to even
guarantee unconsciousness - much less death - at the time of skinning.

* The Canadian government estimates tens of thousands of seals are
wounded in the course of the hunt each year, but escape beneath the water's
surface. They die slowly and their bodies are not recovered.

* The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 bars the importation of
seal products into the United States.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Belinda Mager, bmager@humanesociety.org, 202-452-1100