Karen Mok SPCA (HK) Animal Ambassador Asks Hong Kong to Stop Seal Trade
( HONG KONG , 2 April 2009) Karen Mok, actress and singer, and well-known for her strong passion for animals, visited Prince Edward Island, Canada in early March 2009 to understand the cruelty behind the Canadian Fur Seal Hunt. The trip was organised by the Humane Society International (HSI) , supported by the SPCA (HK). Mok hopes that her trip to Canada and the documentary she filmed would help people in Hong Kong and China understand the "horrendous" nature of the seal hunt.
Each year, seven thousand seasonal workers in Canada flock to the ice floes in late March and early April to kill 300,000 young seals. The seals are clubbed to death using a hakapik, a club with a hook and hammerhead. I n spite of legislative guidelines laid down by the Canadian authorities on seal hunting, extreme environmental conditions such as unstable ice floes, strong wind, poor vision, makes humane killing of seals impossible. Seals are often clubbed many times before they are dead, and there is evidence of some being skinned alive.
In addition to clubbing, hunters use rifles to shoot from a distance of 50 meters or more. Due to the extreme weather conditions, the seals are often wounded rather than killed instantaneously. Some of these wounded seals make their way back into the ocean, bleeding, and die in a prolonged, painful manner.
In 2006, upon the directive of the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority undertook an assessment of animal welfare aspects of seal hunting. They concluded that "effective killing (pain-free, fear-free, suffering-free) does not always occur." HSI has been monitoring seal hunting for many years and has collected further evidence that seal hunting is inhumane.
"It is really ironic. I saw the cutest seal pups, but I also know that they will be killed in a few week's time. It is hard to imagine how the baby seal nursery will turn into a slaughter ground," sighs Mok.
"Hong Kong is a responsible society," says Mok. "The way the seals are clubbed to death is extremely inhumane, and killing these animals for their fur is totally unnecessary. People in Hong Kong are compassionate, and those who can see what is really happening will not allow this to take place. We are the ones who can make a difference to end the seal hunt. It's our choice."
Canada is the largest producer of harp seal fur and other seal products in the world. The key by-product of commercial seal hunt is the seal pelt, which according to the HSI, is sold at HK$325 each and is used as trim on collars and cuffs.
Due to the cruelty of the trade, Belgium and Netherlands banned the import of all seal products in 2007. United States has banned the seal product trade since 1972. Next month, the European Union are likely to pass a unanimous ban of all Canadian seal products on the basis of growing public concern and the fact that they also have deemed the hunt to be inhumane. As international markets close their doors to fur seals, the industry is shifting its attention to the East. Hong Kong, the gateway for trade entering China and a cultural and fashion hub, plays a significant role in this.
¡§By banning fur seals in Hong Kong , we will be sending a strong message to the Canadian hunters that the world no longer tolerates the cruelty of the hunt, and can effectively put a stop to it,¡¨ says Mok.
Spokesman of the Fur Federation [Hong Kong] reportedly told the South China Morning Post that he did not know any manufacturer in Hong Kong that used seal in its collection. "It is good news that seal pelts are not currently contributing to the local economy, and a call to end the trade will not take away any employment from the local job market. It will have practically no impact on Hong Kong," says Mr. Sandy Macalister, Executive Director of the SPCA (HK). "The SPCA (HK) believes that we have a duty to inform the public that through a turn of events, they now have the responsibility to decide whether the hunt continues. We hope they say no to it," concludes Macalister.
From 2 April 2009, the SPCA (HK) sets up Online Petition. Hong Kong public are welcomed to log on to www.spca.org.hk/eng/spca_petition to show your support.
The SPCA (HK) would like to thank Ms Karen Mok for kindly rearranging her busy schedule to make the trip possible, and to help promote this meaningful campaign. A big thank you should go to the Humane Society International for organising the trip as well as sponsoring expenses incurred. The SPCA (HK) would also like to thank the Carson Limited ¡V sole distributor of adidas eyewear, The North Face and The Outdoor Shop for kindly sponsoring weather proof gear for Ms Karen Mok, and Conrad Hong Kong for sponsoring the venue to host the press conference.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HK)
The SPCA (HK) was formed in 1921 by a group of volunteers. Throughout the decades, the SPCA (HK) has worked for the humane treatment and protection of animals. It has fought animal abuse, and through educating the community has promoted humane understanding and the community's responsibility to protect and co-exist with animals. Its message continues to be that RESPECT FOR LIFE BEGINS WITH CONCERN FOR ANIMALS.
The SPCA (HK) has introduced a number of programmes to help the government to improve animal welfare. Besides finding new caring owners for the abandoned and strays, the SPCA (HK) promotes animal birth control through the various programmes introduced, allowing the owned, loosely-owned and stray animals to be desexed. The SPCA (HK) also operates seven animal clinics throughout Hong Kong , some of them also equipped with surgical facilities, to provide welfare for animals.
The SPCA (HK) continues its efforts to ensure that people and all animals can co-exist in harmony.
For more information, please contact the SPCA (HK) on 2802 0501, or reach:
Mr. Michael Wong ¡V Deputy Director, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 2232 5573
Email: michael.wong@spca.org.hk
