Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Members of Jet, The Vines Call for End to Seal Hunt



Aussie Bands Join peta2's Campaign Against Bloody Canadian Massacre

The worldwide campaign against Canada's annual slaughter of hundreds of thousands of baby harp seals for their skin has just gotten a big boost from the international rock scene. Members of the high-flying Australian bands Jet and The Vines have teamed up with peta2—the world's largest youth animal rights organization—by signing a petition at Australia's Big Day Out Festival calling for an end to the hunt, which is the largest slaughter of marine mammals on Earth. This year's hunt is over, but the petition—which will be sent to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper—calls on the Canadian government to put a permanent end to the bloody slaughter.

Jet—whose members Nic Cester, Mark Wilson, and Cameron Muncey signed the petition and whose debut album Get Born has sold 3.5 million copies—is touring the U.S. through the end of May. The Melbourne band's hit single "Falling Star" is on the new Spider-Man 3 soundtrack. Known for their distinct hybrid of '60s rock and '90s alternative, Sydney-based The Vines first hit pay dirt with the 2004 release Winning Days and are currently working on a new album. Members Craig Nicholls, Ryan Griffiths, and Brad Heald added their names to the petition.

The world has looked on in horror for years as the Canadian government has permitted the annual slaughter of as many as 335,000 baby harp seals. The terrified seals are beaten with clubs, shot, and impaled on hooks, and as many as 42 percent are skinned alive. This year, the hunt continued—despite the fact that thousands of baby harp seals who haven't yet learned how to swim are drowning because the ice floes on which they live are melting. The seal hunt is fueled by the fur industry—demand for any fur is responsible for this bloody massacre.

"The harp seal hunt is the largest massacre of marine mammals on Earth and is a bloody stain on Canada's reputation," says peta2 Youth Marketing Coordinator Lara Sanders. "It's time for Prime Minister Harper to put an end to this disgrace and make this year's slaughter the last."

Jet and The Vines join an ever-growing list of musicians—including Hawthorne Heights, Pink, The Darkness, and Good Charlotte—who have teamed up with peta2 in speaking out against cruelty to animals. Also featured on peta2.com are celebrity interviews, message boards, merchandise, downloadable voice-mail recordings, and chances to win great prizes like free concert tickets, iPods, and more.

For more information and to sign the petition, please visit peta2.com or click here.

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