In what can only be described as an astonishing twist on the seal hunt debate, a pro-industry group calling itself Seal Industry Supporters of Canada (SISC) has publicly offered to make a “very significant ” donation to the anti-sealing group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), but the offer comes with a catch.
SISC approached PETA with the offer today on the heels of PETA’s latest publicity stunt, one in which a monetary offer was made to the City of Halifax if it agreed to name its sewer treatment plant the “Seal Slaughter Stinks Plant”.
In an open letter to PETA, SISC executives have issued a counter offer of their own in which SISC will donate a “significant” sum of money to the extremist group if they agree to change their organization’s name to one SISC members feel is far more descriptive of PETA’s ongoing activities.
To qualify for the funding SISC is asking that PETA change its name to Humans Using Naivety To Secure Easy & Affluent Lifestyles or HUNTSEALS.
When asked about the validity of the financial offer, a SISC spokesperson described it as “quite serious”.
He went on to say, “For years PETA has used the mainstream media and Hollywood star power to distribute its misleading propaganda and as a means of convincing countless donors to part with vast amounts of cash.”
“PETA is heavily funded by largely well meaning but misinformed individuals who believe they are doing their part to protect endangered or abused animals. In the case of the Canadian seal population, this is not the case.”
“Although PETA depicts little white seals in their fund raising campaigns, in reality the hunting of white coat seals has been illegal in Canada for several decades. The seal population in the region is not endangered, in fact it’s at a 40 year high (in excess of 5.6 million animals) and the sealing industry itself is one of the most tightly controlled, heavily regulated and strictly monitored animal related industries anywhere in the world.”
“What it boils down to is this. Images of fluffy white seals being towered over by large men bring in huge amounts of money. It’s that simple.”
When asked to quantify the actual dollar value of the PETA offer, should that group decide adopt the name “KILLSEALS” the SISC spokesperson would only say, “Rest assured that it’s enough to buy a lot of first class airline tickets and pay for plenty of lattes at Starbucks so the PETA leadership can continue living the good life they’ve become accustomed to living.”
