The Japanese government issues quotas for the slaughter of around 20,000 dolphins, porpoises and other whales in Japan's coastal waters every year driving some populations rapidly toward extinction.
Japan refuses to accept that the International Whaling Commission's ban on commercial whaling applies to these species and thousands of dolphins and porpoises are cruelly slaughtered and sold as whale meat even though the meat is heavily contaminated with toxic pollutants such as mercury, at levels that exceed public safety limits. The public are not fully informed of the health impacts of this which include mental retardation, cerebral pausy and dementia in adult. Dolphin meat is even included in school lunches.
We are calling for an end to these hunts on animal welfare conservation and public health grounds.
Dolphins have helped humans throughout history. It's time we helped them.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to to call upon the Japanese Prime Minister and his government to stop the cruel slaughter of over 20,000 dolphins, porpoises and other whales in Japan%u2019s coastal waters every year and to respect the international ban on commercial whaling.
We want the Prime Minister to urge the Japanese Prime Minister and his government to put aside "cultural" factors and to see that current practices are soon going to deprive the world and future generations of these beautiful and intelligent animals.
The Japanese government issues quotas for the slaughter of around 20,000 dolphins, porpoises and other whales in Japan's coastal waters every year driving some populations rapidly toward extinction.
Japan refuses to accept that the International Whaling Commission's ban on commercial whaling applies to these species and thousands of dolphins and porpoises are cruelly slaughtered and sold as whale meat even though the meat is heavily contaminated with toxic pollutants such as mercury, at levels that exceed public safety limits. The public are not fully informed of the health impacts of this which include mental retardation, cerebral pausy and dementia in adults. Dolphin meat has even been included in school lunches and could still be.
Dolphins are highly intelligent and self-aware animals. This is evident in the images of murder captured in the award winning documentary "The Cove". I urge the Prime Minister to watch this with urgency to fully understand the issue.
We are calling for an end to these hunts on animal welfare conservation and public health grounds.
Thank-you for taking the time to read this letter and I hope you will act on it with urgency. The dolphin slaughters start in September each year. Throughout history dolphins have helped humans. It is time to help them. The people of the UK will not stand by and let this continue.
