Environment

Animal-rights organization say boycott Canadian maple syrup

by Suranee | May 28, 2009 at 07:33 pm

258 views | 34 Recommendations | 5 comments

To stop the slaughter of seals in Canada, animal-rights organization PETA says that there should be a boycott on Canadian maple syrup.

Jena Hunt of the PETA says that around 330,000 seals which are mostly baby seals are killed for their fur every year.

ALBANY-- Members of the animal-rights organization Thursday came up with a unique way for people who are upset that baby seals are slaughtered in Canada: boycott Canadian maple syrup.

The seal hunt is an annual tradition where hunters kill roughly 330,000 seals and sell their fur, said Jena Hunt, a campaign organizer for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Hunt said most of the seals that are killed are babies because their fur is softer than that of adults.

A representative from the Canadian maple-syrup industry said syrup production and seal slaughtering have nothing to do with each other.

The PETA members were on the steps in front of the Capitol smashing a six-foot cardboard Canadian maple syrup bottle filled with fake blood substituting for syrup to launch the protest.

Jena Hunt says a hikapik, an axe-shaped instrument is used to beat baby seals to death on the ice floats.

But a representative from the Canadian maple-syrup industry said syrup production and seal slaughtering have nothing to do with each other.

To launch the protest, members of PETA held a demonstration on the steps in front of the Capitol where they smashed a six-foot cardboard Canadian maple syrup bottle filled with fake blood substituting for syrup.

They used a hikapik, an axe-shaped instrument "used to beat baby seals to death on the ice floats," Hunt said.

The vice director for the Quebec Federation of Maple Syrup Producers, Simon Trepanier said the federation is not concerned about the toll the boycott could take on Canadian syrup producers because most of the maple syrup that are sold to the states are put in plastic bottles and it's not written on them that it's coming from Canada.

As for the toll a boycott could take on Canadian syrup producers, Trepanier said the federation is not concerned.

"Most of the maple syrup that we are selling to the states are put in plastic bottles and it's not written on them that it's coming from Canada," he said.

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Amy Judd

at 20:50 on May 28th, 2009

I'm not sure this is going to make too much difference as people don't really equate maple syrup with the killing of seals but as a distinguished Canadian product, I can see why they would target this.

LilHoody

at 03:07 on May 29th, 2009

This is disgusting - killing all those animals.

jeremyh (not verified)

at 08:16 on June 18th, 2009

it is a shame that these animals are killed yes, however it's more of a shame that the spotlight as been on them for so long. Have all the animal rights organizations forgotten about the less "cute" animals? i guess showing cows and chickens just doesn't make peta etc as much money as showing cute baby seals. i am a vegetarian i am also a animal lover and i think that killing of any kind is wrong and cruel, however i am not gonna be like the religious zealots of years gone by and force my opinion and lifestyle on others. Any organization that twists the facts, and will perform publicity stunts are obviously in it more for money than love, and will never receive support from me.