Originally published on September 6, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Prime Minister of Denmark

Goal: Ban horrific whaling practices taking place across the Faroe Islands

For hundreds of years, the residents of the Faroe Islands have hunted whales for both sport and a source of food. As a protectorate of Denmark, the Faroe Islands no longer depend on whaling in order to survive yet they continue to slaughter hundreds of pilot whales and dolphins every year. The Danish government must uphold its promise to the European Union and stop supporting the reprehensible act of whaling.

On August 30, the Royal Danish Navy arrested 14 animal rights activists attempting to prevent the death of pilot whales off the coast of the Faroe Islands. As a member of the European Union, Denmark is blatantly violating its commitment to oppose whaling by supporting the whalers. Instead of banning whaling, Denmark enforces a new law keeping unauthorized people at least a mile away from the annual whale hunt known as the “grind.”

Whalers hunt pods of pilot whales and other dolphins by driving them toward shallow waters. The ones that aren’t immediately beached are pulled ashore by their blowholes. Whalers stab blunt hooks into their blowholes to drag them ashore.

By signing the petition below, you will urge the Prime Minister of Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, to ban the horrific practice of whaling throughout the Faroe Islands.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt,

Instead of upholding your commitment to the European Union to oppose whaling practices, your government arrests activists attempting to protect pilot whales from their butchers. The Royal Danish Navy enforces laws in support of whalers hunting throughout the Faroe Islands. The Danish government needs to ban the repulsive act of whaling and cease enforcing laws in support of it.

The residents of the Faroe Islands no longer depend on whaling as a food source. Holding onto blind traditionalism, they needlessly slaughter hundreds of pilot whales and other dolphins each year. Whalers defend their actions by claiming they use more humane methods of killing pilot whales. No longer using harpoons and sharp hooks to drag pilot whales ashore, whalers now utilize blunt hooks to pull them ashore by their blowholes and kill them.

Marine biologists have shown these animals are intelligent creatures that do not deserve to be dragged ashore and stabbed to death. Witnesses have complained after watching pilot whales being repeatedly stabbed and taking up to 15 minutes to kill them. End the barbaric act of whaling before staining the sea with more blood.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo credit: Mmo iwdg via Wikimedia Commons