Graphic PETA Seal Hunt Ad Banned

by Jennifer Mishler, Ecorazzi

PETA recently tried to take its campaign against Canada’s annual seal hunt to Canadian televisions, but the organization’s new commercial has been deemed “too graphic” for viewers.

According to the Huffington Post, the Television Bureau of Canada has required two scenes to be deleted if the ad is to be aired on Canadian networks. The bureau gives approval for PSAs and commercials. “The following scenes will need to be removed. The scene at 39 seconds with the dying seal will need to be removed [and] the scene at 45 seconds will need to be revised so that the second seal the man hits is removed,” wrote Jessica Bassermann of the Television Bureau.

The two scenes show examples of the shocking brutality that happens during the hunt. PETA is refusing to remove the scenes which they feel show the reality of the seal cull. “We think the truth should be shown. We think that if the government is this proud and goes to such great lengths to defend this program, this program should be seen by the country and by the people who pay for it. We don’t want it whitewashed and we don’t want it generalized, we want to show exactly what they do,” said PETA’s senior VP Dan Mathews.

Bassermann told PETA that if the Bureau approves the ad, they are still likely to be turned down by TV stations. One station, CTV Edmonton, was approached by PETA and has agreed with the Bureau that the scenes must be removed before they will air the ad.

The new ad, which can be seen on PETA’s website, stars Canadian actress Emmanuelle Vaugier. Vaugier points out that not only is the hunt cruel, but at least $7 million of taxpayer money is spent on it each year. “Millions more are spent propping up this dying industry even though income from this slaughter accounts for less than one per cent of the economy of Newfoundland where it takes place.” According to Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield’s spokeswoman Erin Filliter, the government does not itemize this spending and therefore the amount could not be confirmed. She also claimed that Canada’s seal cull is “conducted in a humane and respectful way and the full use of animals harvested is strongly encouraged.”

Image credit: Yeimaya / Flickr

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Qian Z.

12:51PM PST on Mar 4, 2013

They shouldn't ban it.

March 4
send a green star

KAROLY M.

8:26AM PDT on Sep 11, 2012

Is only the cruel reality what they show on the video, so why erased it ??? do not close the eyes to the horror people are doing to the seals!!!!!!!!!!

September 11
send a green star

Mary P.

12:13PM PDT on Jul 30, 2012

What a crazy, mixed up society we live in. It's ok to create video games, t.v. shows, movies etc. that depict all kinds of gory, bloody horrors being unleashed but try to show actual footage of a barbaric act of cruelty in order to educate people and hopefully stir them to action, well, can't do that - that's just going too far. It's like the meat issue - happy to eat it as long as I don't have to know about/see how it's really produced. Let's get our heads out of the sand, accept that there are truely horrible things happening in real life and demand changes!!

July 30
send a green star

Mandy H.

11:47AM PDT on Jun 28, 2012

That makes me feel sick(never gonna watch it again!) and I must say that the only scene that I do agree with that needs to be removed is the one where the baby is shown bloody and dieing...I think that's a bit too graphic to be on public TV's especially if a child happens to accidentally see or someone who may be mentally impaired(for example someone who still has the mind of a ten year old child).
The rest of the ad seems to be graphic enough to show the horrible cruelty being this industry and just how many of the poor things are killed. These animals are fairly delicate in their behavior toward humans so there's really no reason at all to be treating them the way that they are. I mean come on! Almost every single country has banned this barbaric practice, just give it up already.

June 28
send a green star

David H.

6:33AM PDT on Jun 24, 2012

This is said that this hasn't been stopped yet. Hey my idea for stopping them, teach the seals how to use the clubs and let them beat them to death!:)