| Cruelty to animals is a world wide problem. There are | | | | Support was received around the world. In 2008, a |
| many examples of animal cruelty. One is the Canadian | | | | law was drafted and adopted. The ban went into |
| seal industry. | | | | effect the summer of 2009 but the seal trade has |
| The United States Humane Society for many years | | | | been decreasing since the start of the proposal. |
| has protested the killing of baby seals for their furs. | | | | Fewer baby seals have been killed as a result. |
| The Canadian seal hunters would slaughter hundreds | | | | The ban will have a definite economic impact on |
| of thousands of seals and market the furs. They | | | | Canadas' and Norways' commercial seal business. Both |
| would be clubbed to death which is a very brutal, | | | | countries will continue to try to negotiate a plan to |
| painful way to kill any animal. Since 1972, when | | | | resolve the issue. Public opinion is very strong so it |
| several countries including the United States banned | | | | will be an uphill battle for them. |
| seal products, the European Union became Canadas' | | | | There are times when an animal species becomes |
| primary market. | | | | overpopulated causing problems that can create |
| An important announcement has been made by the | | | | destruction and disease. Relocation of some of the |
| Euro-MPs to ban trading products made from seals | | | | population sometimes works. Other times, the only |
| throughout Europe. The ban involves 27 member | | | | other way is to eliminate some of the population. The |
| nations. Canada along with Norway will protest the | | | | elimination process should be humane and closely |
| ban to the World Trade Organization. The ban | | | | monitored to avoid over killing. The killing of the baby |
| excludes groups who hunt seals for other than | | | | seals has not been humane or monitored by any |
| commercial purposes. | | | | authority. The killings have been for profit and now |
| The effort to ban the seal hunting started in 2006. | | | | the world is putting a stop to it. |