| Dog
and Cat Fur Trade in China |
China
has become the world’s leading fur exporter. In China there
are no laws protecting animals killed for fur. An undercover investigation
into the cat and dog fur trade in China began about 8 years ago
with an investigator being sent into the country to determine the
extent of the trade.
The
investigation showed how every year in China millions of cats
and dogs are living in cruel conditions, are tormented and
then skinned alive, strangled or stabbed solely for the money
that can be gained from their furs and skins.
The resulting skins and furs are mainly shipped off to USA,
Russia
and the EU. |
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The
furs are most likely labelled incorrectly as coming from other species
or even dyed to look like faux fur.
Musician and Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor narrates the
latest PETA video which slams the killing of cats and dogs for fur
in a shocking new undercover investigation exposing the gruesome
cat and dog fur trade in China.
The video shows cats and dogs without food or water being rounded
up in Beijing and other cities then hauled to their deaths on trucks
containing as many as 8,000 live, dead and dying animals. The cages
are tossed onto the ground 10 feet below, shattering the animals’
bones and causing them to scream in agony.
“Workers
kick and stomp on the cages and jab the animals with sticks to
get them out, then their weakened bodies are bludgeoned, hanged,
bled, or strangled with wire nooses to kill them. Many of the
cats and dogs still have collars on, proof that they were someone’s
beloved companions.” says Trent in the new PETA video.
| It
all boils down to the demand for fur. This demand causes immense
suffering for all animals involved. Even a fur cuff or trim
helps this trade continue. You simply cannot be sure what
you are buying. During holidays in the EU the consumer is
at great risk of unwittingly purchasing dog or cat fur on
items such as holiday souvenirs, boot linings, glove trims,
figurines, even hair accessories. |
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So
if you want to help make sure that no cats and dogs are killed for
their fur, the answer is clear - don’t buy ANY
fur.
“If you buy or wear fur, you must share the blame for the
suffering of these cats and dogs. If you know someone who wears
fur, please, show them this video,” says Trent.
Despite the evidence, the photographs, the videos, and numerous
reports, the Chinese government denies that this trade actually
goes on.
The USA banned the import, export, sale and production of cat and
dog fur in 2002. Some retailers had no idea that items they were
selling contained real fur. However, the USA ban has meant that
sales have shifted to the EU.
In Dec 2003 the European Parliament approved a written declaration
calling on the EU to ban the import, export, sale and production
of cat and dog fur. The EU Council of Agriculture Ministers have
also backed such a ban and there is also a strong public outcry
against the dog and cat fur trade. Despite all this, the European
Commission has failed to take action. There doesn’t seem to
be any clear reason why they can’t or haven’t imposed
a ban on dog and cat fur trade in the EU.
The USA has banned it and so has Australia. EU countries individually
that have imposed the ban include Denmark, France, Italy, Belgium
and Greece but until there is a full EU ban the trade will continue.
Respect for Animals have been leading a campaign to impose a ban
in the UK. Nevertheless, the real goal is to get a full EU ban it
so that it cannot circulate from country to country.
What you can do
Visit the Heather Mills McCartney website www.heathermillsmccartney.com/petition.php
and sign their online Dog & Cat Fur Petition to EU Commissioner,
Markos Kyprianou urging him to implement a ban on the trade of dog
and cat fur from Asia to Europe.
Writing letters is also an excellent way to be heard. On the website
they have very helpfully provided a way of downloading the letters
in Acrobat PDF with all your address details already populated so
that all you have to do is print and sign.
To print and send an instant downloadable letter visit www.heathermillsmccartney.com/letter/letter.php
and select ‘Letter to Markos Kyprianou’ for an EU ban
and/or ‘Letter to UK Minister’ for a UK ban.
Visit their What
You Can Do page for more information about how you can help.
For
further information on animal cruelty visit:
PETA
UK www.peta.org.uk
Fur is Dead www.furisdead.com
Respect for Animals www.respectforanimals.org
The Humane Society of the United States www.hsus.org |
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