Veterinarians train sealers to kill humanely

[Animal 0]

Veterinarians train sealers to kill humanely
Last Updated: Friday, March 20, 2009 | 10:56 AM NT Comments66Recommend27

CBC News
Two veterinarians from the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown spent two weeks this year teaching sealers in N.L. how to kill seals humanely.

'I use a lot of pictures.'


— Pierre Ives Daoust, veterinarianThe workshops were offered to ensure hunters understand the new three-step process introduced last season — a process which is required by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans to ensure a clean a kill of the seals. Hunters have to kill the animals by first smashing the skull, then feeling the skull to make sure it is crushed, and then bleeding the animal.

When the seal hunt begins in a couple weeks in Atlantic Canada observers from around the world will be watching for any signs of cruelty.

Pierre Yves Daoust, a wildlife pathologist with the vet college, travelled with graduate student Charles Caraguel to seven N.L. communities over the course of two weeks holding day-long information sessions.

Daoust said attendance was high, with about a quarter to a third of all sealers going to the voluntary sessions.

"Those I've talked to are more aware of issues of animal welfare than many members of the public at large, because the animal rights people have reminded them constantly."

The workshops were paid for by the governments of N.L. and Quebec and organized by the Fur Institute of Canada. Daoust hopes to put on more workshops before next season.




http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2009/03/20/pe-sealers-veterinarians.html