The animal activist group PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – is planning a “bloody” protest outside the Vancouver restaurant planning on putting seal on the menu this month.
Edible Canada at Granville Island revealed earlier this week they would be serving a seal meat ragu on its Dine Out Vancouver menu.
READ MORE: Seal dish being served during Dine Out Vancouver has everyone talking
The Canadian seal hunt has been at the centre of a decades-old controversy with critics calling it cruel, while the industry and the federal government say it is both economically and culturally important to remote communities.
PETA said in a news release that a costumed seal will “writhe in a pool of blood” outside the restaurant at noon on Friday.
The group, which believes animals should not be eaten, worn, or experimented on in any way, said there are “no major markets for seal-derived products, which have been banned in 35 countries.”
WATCH BELOW: Mon, Apr 21: After years of protests, the seal industry is in trouble. But, proponents say killing seals for meat is no different than killing any other animal. Chef’s in St. John’s are trying to change attitudes, one bite at a time. Ross Lord reports.
“Canada’s commercial seal slaughter is responsible for shooting, bludgeoning, and skinning seals for products that are illegal in dozens of countries around the world,” PETA executive vice- president Tracy Reiman said in the news release.
“PETA is calling on kind people to skip Edible Canada’s shameless endorsement of this cruel and wasteful industry.”
Seal hunting is a major aspect of Inuit culture, but PETA has said in the past they are only opposed to the “East Coast commercial slaughter.”
READ MORE: Tanya Tagaq takes shot at PETA even though it’s not against the seal hunt
At Edible Canada, Chef Eric Pateman says seal is a truly Canadian delicacy along with being one of the most sustainable seafoods available.
“We always like to push the envelope a little bit when it comes to Dine Out, always try something new and really have a story behind why we do it,” said Pateman.
–With files from Amy Judd and John R. Kennedy
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