Slaughter house: China
>for fur
>
>
>
>It sounds too grotesque for words. But pelts from slaughtered cats and dogs
>are being passed off as 'ethical' fur. Last week, the US
>cracked down on dubious ladelling, not good news for British shoppers as
>fashion insiders predict a flood of rejects from the US
>
>The short video would have made even the most hardened fur-lover recoil. A
>grey longhaired German shepherd puppy is hauled from its cage by the neck
>before being strung up by a wire noose, which slowly strangles it to within
>an inch of its life. It is then skinned alive whilst blinking helplessly
>and moaning in agony.
>
>A PR disaster for the fur trade, this video is part of a huge campaign by
>the Humane Society of the United States
>
>It culminated last week in the international animal rights charity exposing
>shocking new evidence that coats purchased from the top-end US designer
>store, Nordstrom, which stocks designer labels including Calvin Klein and
>Tommy Hilfiger, were found to be trimmed with fur from domestic dogs, even
>though the fur was advertised as fake.
>
>There was public outrage and the fashion industry in New York
>feeling the shockwaves. Panic set in as top names Calvin Klein, DKNY and
>Rocawear, and celebrities including Beyonce and P-Diddy whose fashion lines
>were stocked instore, rushed out statements expressing disgust.
>
>Described in shock news headlines as the 'biggest industry-wide deception'
>in recent years, it began after a tip-off from a customer who bought a
>surprisingly soft coat marked 'faux fur'.
>
>DNA tests revealed it to be domestic dog originating in China
>supplies well over half of the fur to the global market and is renowned for
>its inhumane killing methods.
>
>Other coats were found to be the skins of similarly banned members of the
>canine family, such as Racoon dog and wolf.
>
>There have been whispers for some time about the increase in dog and cat
>fur entering the global fur chain.
>
>But last week's news finally blew the lid off the scandal. And those naïve
>enough to believe that this is an isolated incident are in for a wake up
>call.
>
>In America
>since 2000. But in the UK
>no law banning the import of cat and dog fur at all, making it even more
>likely that a similar scandal could emerge.
>
>The Britsh Fur Association has signed up to a voluntary EU labelling scheme
>in a bid to reassure shoppers that its pelts are not tainted by cat and dog
>fur, and this autumn it plans to launch the Origin Assured (AO) label which
>will confirm that 'a product comes from a country where national or local
>regulations or standards governing fur production are in force'.
>
>But unlike Australia New Zealand UK
>government has so far refused calls to sign up to a blanket ban on such
>imports.
>
>"Because fur is often dyed and treated, it is almost impossible to
>establish with 100 per cent certainty the true origin of the fur in our
>stores and markets," says Mark Glover , UK
>International.
>
>"With DNA testing proving expensive and time consuming, and garments
>needing to be sent abroad for analysis, it is also impossible to check
>every garment that enters the market.
>
>"It is now widely established that much of the exceptionally real feeling
>faux fur on sale in street market stalls across the country, like that in
>the US
>
>Last week's US
>globally - with imports of dog and cat fur now flooding the European market
>where legislation is more lax and demand for fur is equally high.
>
>But with most high street retailers and several top designer brands moving
>production to China
>a major UK
>in china for less than two dollars (compared with $6 for a dog) it is not
>suprising that many retailers turn a blind eye to its origins.
>
>Cat fur is soft and luxurious enabling it to be passed off as any number of
>more expensive furs. While German Shepherd is the most popular breed of dog
>because its long fur so closely resembles that of wild animals such as
>coyote or racoon. Labrador and Alsatian pelts have also been found.
>
>Recent figures reveal that China
>every year to satisfy Western demand - supplying 50% of the fur in America
>
>"How much of this is cat and dog pelt is impossible to tell but official
>figures reveal that 5,400 cats and dogs are slaughtered across China
>day with the majority shipped to the West- someone has to be buying them,"
>adds Glover.
>
>While campaigners are pushing for EU-wide measures to ban the sale of cat
>and dog in all 25 member nations, the RSPCA says there is a strong
>likelihood that cat and dog fur is being worn by unsuspecting customers in
>a variety of fur trims.
>
>One major high street chain was even also forced to withdraw all fur from
>its collections after jackets trimmed with 'coyote' were found to be dog
>fur.
>
>Wander through Covent Garden 's jubilee market or celebrity favourite
>Portobello Road
>lined gloves, coats, hats and accessories priced at rock bottom prices,
>such as £10 for a pair of leather fur lined gloves.
>
>Some are labelled 'genuine fur', others simply 'made in china' but because
>most of these garmets fall outside the usual mink or fox labels, they are
>imported under the 'Other fur' category, which means retailers are not
>legally obliged to state which animal they come from.
>
>"The demand for fur this winter has been so high that I've struggled to
>keep up," said one retailer in Covent Garden 's Jubilee Market this week.
>
>Asked if he knew the origin of the fur on a pair of black leather gloves he
>was selling he shrugged his shoulders. Such demand inevitably means buyers
>are less discerning about its source.
>
>Posing as potential buyers, animal charity Care for the Wild International
>(CWI) went undercover in London Hong Kong to reveal the extent to which
>Chinese fur is flooding the UK
>including leopard and domestic cats skins.
>
>While many originate from Spain
>majority of 'rabbit' pom pom scarves - popular for the past two winters,
>and a snip at £5 is available in markets up and down the UK
>as cat fur.
>
>The Humane Society International first revealed Europe 's role in the dog
>and cat fur back in 1998. As part of the original inquiry, investigators
>followed pelts across the world to France Germany
>being made into coats, clothing trim, glove linings, and children's toys.
>The fur was also found in Spain Austria Belgium Denmark Italy
>Netherlands
>
>Sickening evidence collected included a blanket made out of 4 golden
>retrievers bought in Copenhagen
>holes, paws and tales in Barcelona
>42 Alsatian puppies bought in Berlin
>the demand for fur in general on our high streets this winter was higher
>than ever before.
>
>Sales in the UK
>two years ago. But because of dubious labelling, there is no official data
>on the trade.
>
>"It is the importer of the fur garment who chooses how the product is to be
>labelled," says Glover.
>
>"We have recordings of Chinese factory owners admitting to us during
>undercover investigations that they are happy to attach any label to
>garments to make them more marketable." The fur industry's new labelling
>initiatives have been seen by many as a step in the right direction.
>Regulations include guidelines that protect the environment and ensure
>sustainable wildlife programs and humane farming practices.
>
>"The labelling programme is part of a commitment to openness and
>transparency," says Andrea Martin of the British Fur Association.
>
>"As an industry, we deplore and work against the mistreatment of all
>animals."
>
>But it is the people who operate outside the official fur industry who are
>the worry, as investigations by PETA reveal.
>
>Footage shows dogs and cats in cramped factories or being rounded up on the
>street where they are sold for their skin. Many still have their collars on
>at the time of slaughter - a sign they were domesticated pets.
>
>Dogs can be seen cowering in dark cold unsanitary rooms surrounded by the
>bodies of dead skinned dogs suspended from hooks.
>
>Cats are strangled with nooses one by one in wooden cages. This summer the
>EU will decide whether to impose a blanket ban on the imports of all cat
>and dog pelts, which at least is a step in the right direction. But the
>Internet is set to be the next hurdle.
>
>The rise in web shopping means that hundreds of China-based companies can
>carry on passing off cat and dog fur under various guises to customers and
>fashion retailers online - no questions asked.
>
>So, next time you're tempted by a 'faux fur' trimmed parka, or a
>suprisingly cheap pair of fur-lined gloves, you might want to think twice
>about whether the mittens are kitten and the hood is hound. Chances are it
>is.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Very Important Message for Animal Lovers
I just received this, and I couldn't even read all of it, it was so horrible. You may not be able to either, but I think more people should know about this, mostly because of the inhumanity. The methods used by these companies should make your heart break, and hopefully inspire change in such a deplorable industry. Please read.
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2 comments:
I don't get why people even like to wear fur at all. I have zero desire to have that hairy, fuzzy sensation on my necklines or wherever else.
I hope this article isn't true!
-bm
I was just thinking, I don't own anything with fur and then I remembered my very soft gloves that are "Faux-Fur" lined. I swear I will never wear them again!!
Big R
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