The Japanese government allows a few fishermen to slaughter thousands of dolphins and small whales in so-called drive hunts.
During drive hunts, fishermen panic and confuse migrating dolphins and other small whales with loud banging on metal pipes. They herd the dolphins into shallow coves and butcher them brutally. Every year, over 20,000 dolphins and other whale species are killed this way, including bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins, spotted dolphins, Risso's dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, white-sided dolphins, and false killer whales.
Dolphins are intelligent, self-aware mammals with bonded social interactions. The Jananese drive hunts have been condemned by animal welfare experts around the world as brutal and inhumane, but pleas to stop them have been ignored.
Therefore, marine scientists and zoo and aquarium professionals, are asking for your support to bring this inhumane practice to an end.
Please sign the petition asking the U.S. State Depatment to make ending the dolphin slaughter a high priority in all negotiations with the Japanese government.
Please sign this petition and help us put an end to the slaughter of dolphins and small whales in drive hunts.
To:
The Honorable John F. Kerry
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Kerry,
We, the undersigned, join with the global community of marine scientists and zoo and aquarium professionals in condemning the brutal and inhumane practice of dolphin drive hunts in Japan, which slaughter over 20,000 dolphins and other small whales each year. Dolphins are highly intelligent, self-aware, mammals with bonded social lives.
The United States engages in many types of meetings and negotiations with the Japanese government. We urge you to exercise your authority to make ending the cruel and inhumane Japanese dolphin slaughters a high priority in all dealings with the government of Japan.
We the undersigned from around the world recognize and respect your long history of strength on animal welfare issues. Therefore, we look to you as Secretary of State of the United States to make ending the slaughter of dolphins in Japan a high priority in all U.S. interactions with Prime Minister Mr. Shinzo Abe and the government of Japan and to engage other countries in ending this inhumane practice.
Thank you
Sincerely,
