Belgium will ban the import and sale of dog, cat and seal fur

[Guest guest]

Press release – 16.01.04

 

Belgium will ban the import and sale of dog, cat and seal fur

 

GAIA enthusiastically welcomes the decision of Ministers Van den

Bossche (Environment), Demotte (Public Health and AnimalWelfare) and

Moerman (Economics)

 

A wonderful start to the year for animals

 

The animal rights organisation GAIA is delighted. Three ministers,

Freya Van den Bossche (Environment), Rudy Demotte (Public Health and

Animal Welfare) and Fientje Moerman (Economics) have decided

to ban the import and the trading of dog, cat and seal fur in

Belgium. GAIA heard the news yesterday. The way the three ministers

tacked the problem and took the decision together is a first in

Belgium, says GAIA chairman Michel Vandenbosch. Just before

Christmas, GAIA and Dierenleed Azië (Animal

Suffering Asia) had conducted a protest action in front of the cabinet

of Minister Freya Van den Bossche to call for a ban on cat and dog

fur.Â

 

Immediately afterwards, GAIA had launched a campaign to send thousands

of 'season's greetings' cards to the Minister of the Environment.Â

Earlier GAIA had demonstrated against the gruesome slaughter of

seals in Canada and called for the Belgian ministers to ban the import

of all seal fur. The decision is a wonderful gift from the ministers to

animals at the start of the New Year.

 

It is also of course a powerful signal to the rest of Europe not to

tolerate the cruelty with which this kind of item is produced. In

banning dog and cat fur, Belgium is following the example of Italy,where

a ban has been in force since 2003. Belgium is however the first

country in Europe to ban all seal fur.

 

Today, Friday 16 January at 2pm, representatives of GAIA and Dierenleed

Azië (Animal Suffering Asia) met with representatives of the ministers

of Economics, Environment and Animal Welfare, who gave

them more information about the practical measures that they will put

in place.

 

 

For further information, please contact: Michel Vandenbosch: +32 (0)475

45

20 15 –Ann De Greef: +32 (0)477 53 42 02

 

 

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vzw GAIA asbl

90 Rue des Palais

Paleizenstraat 90

1030Â Brussels

T: 02 / 245 29 50

F: 02 / 215 09 43

www.gaia.be

 

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Dave Neale

Animals Asia Foundation

 

Find out more about the historic China Bear Rescue by visiting the

Animals Asia Foundation website at http://www.animalsasia.org