Join Sea Shepherd Conservation Society & Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians at “World Love For Dolphins” Day Demonstrations This Valentine’s Day - Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Join Sea Shepherd Conservation Society & Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians at “World Love For Dolphins” Day Demonstrations This Valentine’s Day - Sea Shepherd Conservation Society



February 3, 2014

Join Sea Shepherd Conservation Society & Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians at “World Love For Dolphins” Day Demonstrations This Valentine’s Day

Demonstrations To Take Place in the U.S. and Overseas Against Taiji’s Brutal Dolphin Hunts

On the heels of the recent global outcry condemning the brutal and inhumane dolphin hunts in Taiji, Japan, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is inviting supporters and all concerned individuals to join with us and our Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians in targeted demonstrations on February 14, 2014 against Taiji’s brutal capture and slaughter of dolphins.

On February 14, 2014, Sea Shepherd USA chapters will be leading demonstrations at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. and Japanese consulates in cities across the country to stand in solidarity with the Cove Guardians in demanding an end to the bloodshed in Taiji. Sea Shepherd invites anyone who cares about dolphins to join us for peaceful “World Love for Dolphins Day” demonstrations on Valentine’s Day to raise our voices for the dolphins. On a day meant to celebrate love, we will show Japan the love felt by the people of the world for dolphins.

“Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to stand with Sea Shepherd at the Embassy and Consulates of Japan and tell the Japanese government that the world holds dolphins very near and dear to our hearts and we will not tolerate this brutal slaughter by a small group of men who are dishonoring Japan to sell dolphins to the captive industry. We hope that thousands of people will turn out to show their love for dolphins and ask Japan to end the needless killing,” said Susan Hartland, Administrative Director, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society USA.

Please find details on how the public can participate in Sea Shepherd’s “World Love for Dolphins Day” demonstrations below:

World Love for Dolphin’s Day

Valentine’s Day Demonstrations Feb 14th, 2014, 12:00pm-1:00pm ET/PT

Join Sea Shepherd Conservation Society & Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians at the Japanese Embassy and Consulates on Valentine’s Day to honor the dolphins who are brutalized in Taiji’s Cove.

There are two ways to help:

1. Demonstrate at Japanese Embassy & Consulates

Sea Shepherd will be demonstrating outside the following Japanese Consulates and the Japanese Embassy in Washington DC. Join Sea Shepherd and Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians at these locations to remind the Japanese government that the Taiji dolphin drive hunts dishonor Japan. Japan can only begin to restore their honor by ending the horror in the Taiji Cove. Download & print a poster on our website here and join us.

Demonstrations begin at 12:00pm ET/PT and end at 1:00pm ET/PT at the following locations:

Seattle
601 Union Street, Suite 500
Seattle WA 98101-4015

San Francisco
50 Fremont Street, Suite 2300
San Francisco CA 94105-2236

Los Angeles
350 South Grand Ave, Suite 1700
Los Angeles CA 90071-3459

Denver
1225 17th Street, Suite 3000
Denver CO 80202-5505

Houston
2 Houston Center Building
909 Fannin Street
Suite 3000
Houston TX 77010

New York City
299 Park Ave, 19th Floor
New York NY 10171-0025

Washington DC
2520 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20008

2. Send a Valentine for a Dolphin directly to the Japanese Embassy

Remind the Japanese government that dolphins are loved and revered by millions. Download & print a Valentine for a dolphin here and send it directly to:

Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae
C/O The Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C.
2520 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20008

Sea Shepherd encourages international demonstrations: Sea Shepherd invites our global supporters and dolphin lovers to join in the demonstrations and bring their concern to the doorstep of the Japanese government in cities around the world on the same day. For a list of Japanese embassies and consulates worldwide, please visit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The drive hunt and slaughter of thousands of dolphins, porpoises and small whales occurs throughout Japan each year. The most well-known among these annual hunts occurs in Taiji from September 1st and usually continues to March 1st of the following year. Fishermen herd entire cetacean families into shallow bays. Those considered “most beautiful” are selected for sale to marine parks around the globe for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The others are mercilessly stabbed with a metal spike inserted into their backs to sever their spine. The dolphins slowly and painfully bleed to death or drown in the blood of their family, or if somehow still alive after that assault, they will drown as they are dragged to the butcherhouse, after which their flesh is sold for human consumption despite its high toxicity. These inhumane killings would not be allowed in any slaughterhouse in the world. Japan refuses to sign on to many protection efforts and regulations for marine mammals, despite most of the world recognizing the need to protect these imperiled animals. 

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society first brought the Cove to the world’s attention by capturing and releasing now-iconic footage and imagery of the brutal hunts and slaughters in 2003, during which the Cove turned a blood red. Later the Academy Award-winning film “The Cove” again shone a spotlight on the hunts, bringing worldwide attention to the killings. Many individuals thought the film succeeded in bringing an end to the hunts, but that was not the case. So in 2010, Sea Shepherd established Operation Infinite Patience and our volunteer Cove Guardians took up positions alongside the cove to document, report and live stream these atrocities in the hope of capturing attention to bring pressure to bear to stop these barbaric acts. Sea Shepherd is the only organization to have a team on the ground in Taiji for the entire six-month killing season, and the only group who live streams every capture and every kill for the world to see. Sea Shepherd’s Cove Guardians will not stop until the slaughter ends.

JOIN US ON VALENTINE’S DAY AND HELP US BRING AN END TO THE HUNTS!

Visit our  Cove Guardians site for more information.