Download BRITISH COLUMBIA SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION

BRITISH COLUMBIA
SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
POSITION STATEMENTS
MARINE MAMMAL WELFARE
WELFARE OF MARINE MAMMALS
The BC SPCA recognizes the complex needs of these highly sentient and social animals.
Marine mammals face numerous threats to their welfare from direct human activities such as
captivity, ecotourism, research and hunting, and indirectly from pollution and overfishing. The
BC SPCA strives to improve the lives of marine mammals through education and advocacy.
CAPTIVITY
The BC SPCA is opposed to the capture, confinement and breeding of marine mammals for
entertainment or educational display. Institutions, facilities and businesses that currently house
marine mammals must aim to provide the animals with the Five Freedoms and meet the highest
professional accreditation standards. The BC SPCA supports the phasing out of such programs
as the full provision of the Five Freedoms is not possible for wild animals who require large and
diverse aquatic habitats to live.
ECOTOURISM
The BC SPCA supports whale-watching and other marine mammal viewing in their natural
habitat from land or water, as one way to educate the public in developing a better
understanding and appreciation of these highly intelligent and social creatures. Land-based
watching, where appropriate, is preferable as there is less risk to the animals. Marine-based
viewing should be conducted to the highest industry standards by regulated operators, with
special attention paid to the issue of proximity as the animals are very vulnerable to disturbance,
especially during feeding, breeding, birthing and nursing.
The BC SPCA opposes activities involving the direct interaction of humans with marine
mammals, such as swimming with dolphins and feeding of all marine mammals, as such
activities are in direct interference with the species’ natural behaviour.
RESEARCH
The BC SPCA is opposed to the capture, permanent confinement and captive breeding of
marine mammals. Only non-invasive and non-lethal research that temporarily confines the
animals and directly benefits the species is acceptable. The Society believes that appropriate
pain control should be administered for procedures such as branding and other painful
monitoring techniques; and that anaesthesia, analgesia, tranquilization and euthanasia only be
conducted by trained technicians or researchers as per the BC SPCA position statement on
Animals in Research.
HUNTING – WHALING
The BC SPCA is opposed to the hunting or any non-subsistence killing of all cetaceans,
including the killing for supposed “scientific research” that is carried out by some nations
through an exemption in the international treaty but against a global moratorium on whaling.
Standard practices of killing these animals using harpoons or standard firearms result in a
lingering, painful and inhumane death. Although the meat and parts may be sold for use
following such supposed “research projects,” the principle of killing healthy animals and
exploiting their products or parts for profit is inconsistent with the BC SPCA position statement
on Hunting.
HUNTING – SEALING
The BC SPCA is opposed to the commercial hunting of seals because the principal purpose of
the activity is to supply pelts for the fashion clothing industry, which is inconsistent with the BC
SPCA position statement on Animals Used for Clothing, Fashion and Art.
Further, the BC SPCA is opposed to the killing of seals because current standard methods have
not proven to consistently result in a quick death with minimal suffering. In the immediate term,
the BC SPCA supports mandatory on-site third-party supervision of seal hunts in Canada to
ensure humane practices are followed. At a minimum, sealers should be expected to meet the
same standards of humane killing required by law of other animal slaughter industries or should
cease the practice.
In addition, the BC SPCA is opposed to culling marine mammals for population control (unless
these animals are suffering due to health concerns), to protect fish farms, or to improve the
viability of fish stocks without scientific evidence that demonstrates fish stock recovery is entirely
dependent on marine mammal predation. If culling does occur, humane practices must be
followed.
Approved by the Board of Directors – October 2011
BACKGROUND
The BC SPCA has historically opposed the commercial seal hunt in Canada, but we also
recognize other direct activities that negatively impact marine mammals nationally and
internationally, in the wild and in captivity.
Further, we recognize some aboriginal communities who hunt for subsistence purposes have
few alternatives to the products harvested from marine mammals. However, large scale
commercial harvesting of marine mammals by aboriginal communities under the guise of
subsistence hunting is not supported. Subsistence hunting in these communities should only be
carried out by qualified and experienced hunters, and only in a way that is humane, responsible
and sustainable. Techniques which minimize the infliction of pain or suffering and cause instant
death must be employed as in accordance with the BC SPCA position statement on Hunting.
Background Updated – October 2011
DEFINITIONS
Marine mammals: Mammals who are ocean-dwelling or depend on the ocean for food and
include, but are not limited to, whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, walrus, otters and
manatees.
Cetaceans: Marine mammals included in the order Cetacea (whales, dolphins and porpoises).
Five Freedoms: A concept first developed in 1965 by The Brambell Committee, formed by the
UK government to examine the conditions on commercial farms. Now internationally
recognized, the Five Freedoms are considered applicable to all animals.
The BC SPCA's Five Freedoms (adapted from the original list) are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Freedom from hunger and thirst;
Freedom from pain, injury and disease;
Freedom from distress;
Freedom from discomfort;
Freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being.
The BC SPCA's Five Freedoms form the basis of the Society’s Charter and describe conditions
that must be fulfilled in order to prevent the suffering of all animals in human care. The Society
acknowledges that these freedoms are not enforceable and that absolute provision of these
freedoms may not be possible, but strongly encourages all animal guardians to strive to provide
them.