An e-mail received May 13th 2003 giving more information on the horrific trade in dog and cat fur in the
EU . . .
I am a major campaigner
against this immoral and horrific trade. I have been working very closely with
the Humane Society, an American NGO, which for years has fought against the
brutal killing of cats and dogs for the fur trade.
The Humane Society has
conducted a two year undercover investigation in China, Thailand and the Philippines which found football field sized warehouses filled
to the ceilings with about 50,000 to 100,000 pelts of cats and dogs ready to be
made into products.
Slaughter of these animals is horrific, with cats strangled outside their cages
as other cats look on and dogs noosed with metal wires and then slashed across
the groin until they bleed to death as the noose wire cuts into their throat.
In Harbin (China), investigators documented a dog being skinned while
still blinking and conscious. The pelts have appeared in EU stores as full
length coats, homeopathic arthritis aids, toy cat
figurines, hair bows for children, trim on sweaters and linings for boots and
gloves.
The animals are raised under deplorable conditions and killed solely for their
skins and furs. Nearly 2 million dogs and cats die in this trade annually.
Consumers are never aware of what they are purchasing because merchants in Asia are happy to dye the fur to make it appear as a more acceptable
product, mislabelling others with bogus names or
simply not labelling them at all. DNA tests in
laboratories have conclusively turned up cat and dog fur items throughout the
European Union. In a purchase in the Netherlands for instance, a bright red hair bow made to appear
as faux fur DNA tested as dog fur.
I have put pressure several times on Commissioner Byrne with the aim of
introducing a Europe-wide ban of cat and dog fur and it is time for
Commissioner Byrne to stop giving excuses to the EU's
consumers and ban this barbaric trade.
Indeed, I am particularly worried that if we do not take immediate action, the
flood of these despicable goods will soon turn into a tidal wave. As indeed you
probably know, the United States has had a federal ban on the import of cat and dog
furs and skins for nearly two years, and therefore Asian merchants are
targeting the European Union as their prime market for these goods. Russia is the other market for these items.
More recently, on 8 May 2003, I revealed the existence of video evidence confirming a
well-established trade in Belgium of cat fur. One outlet is allegedly being
supplied by a London broker buying skins from China. This seem to show that
despite assurances to the contrary by EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner David
Byrne, the trade was flourishing within Europe.
Clearly, this despicable trade of cat and dog fur is not just a business
confined to the Far East. It is taking place within the European Union
and can be found right under the noses of EU legislators in Belgium. Undercover investigations by Humane Society
International found cat fur on sale in Belgium in February 2003.
One merchant even stated that cats were farmed in Belgium. Another claimed that stray cats and dogs were being
rounded up in Brussels and Ghent and killed for their pelts. Disturbingly he admitted
that some might even be lost pets. A third furrier claimed that dog and cat
skins were routinely purchased through an English speaking broker in China.
Ministers from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, UK, Greece, Denmark and Sweden have all called for a ban. Yet Commissioner
Byrne claims he has no authority to act - despite having complete authority to
ban this practice under internal market regulations to protect consumers.
Europe's public, its legislators and ministers all want an
end to the import, export and sale of these items. Despite such strength
of opinion, this cruel trade in cat and dog fur is still not illegal in Europe. Along with my colleagues in the European Parliament, I am
determined to keep bringing pressure to bear on the Commissioner to instigate
an immediate ban in the trade of cat and dog fur.
This is why I think that it would be very useful if we all put pressure on
local MPs as well on Commissioner Byrne. These are his contact details:
[email protected]
Mail:
Commissioner Byrne
European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049
Brussels Belgium
Rest assured that I will continue leading Conservative efforts to outlaw the
importation into the EU of products made from cat and dog fur.
Kind regards,
Struan Stevenson
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