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You can sign the petiton online at: www.johnbarrettmp.com Recent publicity has highlighted the vast number of cats and dogs that are being killed for the fur trade. Mairi Ball looks at the barbaric treatment of these companion animals and explains the current situation regarding imports of dog and cat fur into the UK. Current European legislation does not make the imports of dog and cat fur illegal, nor is there any stipulation for labelling fur items to state their origins. Many people are buying items made from cat and dog pelts completely unaware of its origins. People often innocently buy an article of clothing that is fur trimmed, or a toy or key ring covered in fur, without realising it is in fact fur from a companion animal. In some European countries, entire coats made from dog or cat fur are sold. One cat fur coat requires 24 pelts, while coats made of dog fur use around 12 pelts - one full-length coat found for sale in Berlin reportedly contained the skins of 42 Alsatian puppies. According to statistics from the Department of Trade and Industry, imports from China alone of dog and cat fur (classed under other fur imports) increased by almost 50 percent between 1999 and 2001. One of the main investigators of this trade is the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Following their horrific findings and filmed evidence, America now bans imports of dog and cat fur after legislation was introduced in 2000. The ban in the US is believed to be one of the main reasons for the substantial increase of furs into Europe and the UK. To date, the only countries in Europe that have banned the import of such furs are Italy and Denmark. The main cause for concern among Animal Welfare organisations is that the fur trade generally involves cruelty - often horrific cruelty. The animals not only live in appalling conditions, their deaths are also inhumane. It is estimated that around two million cats and dogs are inhumanely slaughtered each year in China for use in the fur trade. The animals that are reared for their fur in Far Eastern countries suffer similar conditions to those that are kept for consumption. Crammed tightly into cages or confined spaces, often with inadequate shelter and food or water, these animals are literally farmed for their fur. Recent evidence has shown that fur farming of cats and dogs is also occurring much closer to home - in Belgium. Mark Glover, Campaigns Manager for Respect for Animals, said: "Most dog and cat fur comes from countries in the Far East and filmed evidence by the Humane Society of the United States of the way the animals are kept and slaughtered reveals horrific cruelty. "The slaughter process is horrific. Investigative film shows a dog tied up tightly by its neck with wire to a gate before being stabbed in the groin and left to bleed to death. On more than one occasion, investigators reported that the animals were skinned whilst still alive. They also saw cats killed by being hung by the neck from a piece of rope that tightened as their struggling caused them to eventually suffocate." The Government is discussing with High Street clothing retailers, the British Retail Association and the British Fur Trade Association, the introduction of a voluntary labelling scheme for all fur. However, those campaigning against this barbaric trade fear that this will do little to rectify the situation. They believe that manufacturers will simply mislabel goods. A statutory labelling scheme was imposed in the US but failed to stop the trade. And simply specifying that goods are labelled stating the origin of the fur will do nothing to halt the cruelty involved in this trade. The only way that the cruelty issue can begin to be tackled is by imposing a complete ban on any dog or cat fur items being imported into the UK and Europe. One toy currently for sale in some of Scotland's shops is a small furry cat in a basket. This toy is actually made from real dog or cat fur. One renowned Highland retail outlet is selling items made of hamster fur. Many imported fur-trimmed items of clothing e.g. gloves, coats, etc are trimmed with dog or cat fur. Other items being sold that are made of dog and cat fur include: rugs, blankets, hair bows, fur-lined ski boots and pet toys. The original position of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) regarding a ban of the import and use of dog and cat fur was that it would not be banned under WTO legislation as moral or ethical objections are not permitted under its rules. However, the latest view from Commissioner Pascal Lamy is that "the application of a non-discriminatory ban on cat and dog fur to both internal trade and imports would not be inconsistent with WTO rules per se". There is currently an Early Day Motion (EDM) before Parliament asking for a change in the current legislation. To date this has been supported by over 100 MPs. In Scotland, the Cross Party Group on Animal Welfare (on which the Scottish SPCA has a representative) has written to the UK Trade Minister asking for a ban on imports of cat and dog fur items to Britain. What action can you take? Write to your MP asking him/her to take up the matter with the Department of Trade & Industry and requesting that they sign the EDM to implement a ban on the import of this fur. You can also write to: The Hon Mike O'Brien MP, Minister of State Department of Trade & Industry, London SW1H 0ET. |
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