Stop the seal slaughter

With reduced seal numbers around Canada's coast (your report, 5 April), Canadian sealers compete against each other to get seals as quickly as possible to fill their quotas. Conscious seal pups are shot, clubbed or stabbed with metal hooks and dragged away. Many seal pups, just days or weeks old, are skinned alive.

The seals are killed primarily for their fur, which is used to produce fashion garments, including sporrans, etc. Imports of seal skins to the United Kingdom rose from 3.6 tonnes in 2004 to 4.1 tonnes in 2005. This level of trade helps make the mass slaughter viable.

The UK government should ban the trade in sealskins and other products.

In addition, animal welfare organisations are calling for a boycott of Canadian products, and asking people not to holiday in Canada until the slaughter is ended.

ROSS MINETT

Director, Advocates for Animals

Queensferry Street

Edinburgh