The European Union’s historic ban on the sale of seal products was set to take effect tomorrow. This ban was poised to end the sale of all fur torn from the bodies of seals who are killed during Canada’s commercial seal slaughter. But in the 11th hour the ban was suspended by the European General Court, which was responding to a challenge launched by an Inuit group (The court decided to intervene even though the ban provides exemptions for some of the products that come from traditional Inuit hunts).
Of course, these twists and turns are expected in legal wrangling involving governments—especially the shady ones who are trying to market seal heart valves—but we’re confident it’ll be upheld in the end.
It’s times like these that I like to turn to PETA Senior V.P. Dan Mathews, who said this about the decision:
The European General Court may wish to look more closely at the ban, but the court of public opinion around the world has spoken: The seal slaughter is uniquely cruel, and no market wants the pelts. At the end of the day, this is a consumer issue, and seal skin has a worse public stigma than herpes.
Written by Shawna Flavell
