On Tuesday 25 September members of International Animal Rescue joined animal lovers and wildlife conservationists in cities all over the world in protest against the annual slaughter of thousands of dolphins in Japan.
IAR representatives were at Japanese Embassies in Boston, Jakarta and London demonstrating against the mass murder of the largest number of dolphins anywhere in the world. The Japanese annual drive hunt (fishery) season runs from 1 October to 30 March: during this time more than 20,000 dolphins, porpoises and small whales are killed. The hunts are sustained by marine parks which pay large amounts of money for live dolphins to re-stock their facilities.
Alan Knight OBE, CEO of International Animal Rescue and Chairman of British Divers Marine Life Rescue, attended the protest at the Japanese Embassy in London. He says: “I urge animal lovers across the world to speak out against this horrific slaughter which leaves thousands of dolphins dead and many more condemned to lives of misery in marine parks. The ghastly fate of these animals is entirely unacceptable in this day and age and we will continue our protests until Japan puts an end to this barbarity.
“Anyone who was unable to attend a protest should write to the Japanese Embassy in their country calling for an end to the slaughter.”