Can You Guess Which One?
It is legal in the U.S. to own the one on the left but illegal in the U.S. to own the one on the right. Why? Because the toy on the right is made from sealskin, a natural, renewable resource harvested since time immemorial by the indigenous peoples of the Arctic.
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The U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act outlaws the importation or sale of any product made from any marine mammal, including seals, no matter how abundant the species, or how it hurts the livelihoods and cultural traditions of North America’s indigenous peoples.
We believe this is wrong.
If you agree, let us know. Together we can work to amend this Act and bring it in line with international conventions dealing with trade, wildlife conservation, and the rights of indigenous peoples.
Contact either of the following:
Nunavut Sealing Committee, Box 1870, Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada, X0A 0H0; Tel: (867) 975-5968; Fax: (867) 975-6925; cbonnell@gov.nu.ca
National Animal Interest Alliance, PO Box 66579, Portland, Oregon 97290, USA; Tel: (503) 7618962; Fax: (503) 761-1289; naia@involved.com; www.naiaonline.org
To obtain a copy of the above information as a one-page flyer, click: It Is Illegal in the U.S. to Own One of These Plush Toys. (PDF format)