OTTAWA, the 21st of January 2010 – “The Universal Declaration on the Ethical Harvest of Seals is gaining in popularity and I am enthusiastic that the Fur Council of Canada is supporting this declaration along with the Canadian fur industry”, said Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette.

The Fur Council of Canada is a national, non-profit federation representing people working in every sector of the Canadian fur trade. This includes fur producers, auction houses, processors, designers, craftspeople and retail furriers.

“The Universal Declaration on the Ethical Harvest of Seals which you have sponsored is therefore an extremely important initiative, and the Fur Council of Canada is pleased to support it” wrote Alan Herscovici, the Executive Vice-President, on behalf of the Board of Directors. “We look forward to working with you and your team to promote better public understanding and appreciation of this remarkable Canadian heritage industry”, he added.

The Fur Council of Canada has recently launched a massive campaign to raise awareness about fur as a natural resource that is both recyclable and sustainable. (www.furisgreen.com)

“The support of the Fur Council of Canada to the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration is great news: this demonstrates that the Canadian industry like scientists and governments in our country deeply care about animal welfare along with that of human communities and ecosystems” concluded Senator Hervieux-Payette.

The Declaration has also received the support of the governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Québec along with the international organization for animal conservation IWMC World Conservation Trust based in Switzerland.

Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette urges all governments and concerned organizations to promote and study the application of the Universal Declaration on the Ethical Harvest of Seals written by a panel of experts (www.sealsonline.org).