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This just in:

9 May 2008 – Animal lovers and Second Lifers are being encouraged to attend a live virtual event to help end commercial seal hunting – with guest appearances by a US musician and a UK politician.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) concert on Saturday 10 May (3pm SLT & 11pm BST) will feature singer/songwriter Juel Resistance and Labour Member of Parliament for Bristol East, Kerry McCarthy. Second Life's residents will have the opportunity to hear about IFAW’s campaign to help stop the cruel Canadian seal hunt. Residents will be able to view and hear video recorded by IFAW monitors during the 2008 seal hunt which began in March, interact with IFAW avatar Daisy Meadowbrook and take action in support of calls for a Europe-wide ban on seal products.

Kerry McCarthy MP, who will speak at the event, said: “I strongly support IFAW’s work to put an end to this brutal hunt. The annual killing of more than a quarter of a million seals, mostly for their fur, is simply unacceptable.

“An EU-wide ban on the trade in seal products is a vital step to help end this hunt and make sure that Europe plays no further part in this cruelty. I’m very happy to lend my voice in support of that effort.”

Second Life Residents can attend the event on Saturday May 10 at 3PM SLT (PST) by following the link below:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/IFAW%20Island/177/76/53

Those who are not already Residents of Second Life can sign up at no cost via the www.secondlife.com site. For more information on IFAW’s Stop the Seal Hunt campaign, please visit: www.stopthesealhunt.org or www.ifaw.org.

About IFAW

The International Fund for Animal Welfare works to improve the welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and assisting animals in distress.

This year’s seal hunt has a quota of 275,000 seals. Most of the seals killed during the annual hunt are pups under three months of age. They are killed primarily for their fur, which is used to make luxury items for the fashion industry. Most of the carcasses are left unused on the ice.

IFAW opposes Canada’s commercial seal hunt because it is cruel, unnecessary and unsustainable. Despite the Canadian government’s claims that this year’s hunt would be the most humane ever, because of new regulations, IFAW monitors have again recorded many instances of seals suffering slow and painful deaths after being shot or clubbed.

Scientists forecast that if the commercial hunt continues with such high quotas, the harp seal population could be reduced by 70% within the next 15 years.

For more information, contact:
Daisy Meadowbrook, Moose Griswold

Full disclosure: I am involved in organizing this event.

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