Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 Are these stories true? This is outrageous! ( Tim http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3009537.stm Cats 'farmed for skins in EU' BBC News has seen evidence which suggests that cats are being farmed for their skins in the European Union. Let me say that cats and dogs are not farmed for their fur in the 15 EU member states - EU commissioner David Byrne It is thought that tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of cat and dog skins are traded in Europe each year. Campaigners say that now is the time for national governments or the European Commission to act. Europe, it seems, is a magnet for cat and dog fur. Cat blankets, so the aficionados say, are good for rheumatism. US ban Dog pelts are often labelled misleadingly and sold as the fur of some exotic, even mythical beast. Cat and dog fur trade Campaigners claim 2 million cats and dogs slaughtered every year Main exporter: China 12 to 15 adult dogs needed to make a dog fur coat Up to 24 cats needed for cat fur coat Cat and dog fur also used in hats, gloves, shoes, blankets, stuffed animals and toys Dog fur sometimes labelled as: Gae-wolf, sobaki, Asian jackal, goupee, loup d'Asie, Corsac fox, dogues du Chine, or simply fake or exotic fur Cat fur sometimes labelled as: house cat, wild cat, katzenfelle, rabbit, goyangi, mountain cat Since the US has banned the trade of cat and dog skins, the European market has expanded. A video seen by BBC correspondent Tim Franks shows one Belgian furrier displaying a blanket he says was made from cats farmed in Belgium. What is more, he says that stray cats and dogs are rounded up and skinned. That would seem to contradict the assertion from the officials who help run the EU at the European Commission that there is no cat or dog farming inside the union. "Let me say that cats and dogs are not farmed for their fur in the 15 member states of the European Union," EU Health and Consumer Protection commissioner David Byrne wrote to a British member of the European Parliament last year. Officials in Brussels repeated on Thursday that they had no evidence of cat or dog farming in the EU. They said it was up to national governments to ban the trade in cat and dog fur. Alsatian coat So far, though, only Italy has brought in such a ban. British MEP Struan Stevenson told the BBC that two million cats and dogs are being killed in China alone each year, in order to satisfy demand in Europe. He also said that he has seen videos of animals being skinned alive. As evidence of the trade he has collected: A blanket made out of four golden retrievers, bought in Copenhagen Individual cat skins complete with eye-holes, paws and tails, bought in Barcelona A full-length coat made out of up to 42 Alsatian puppies, bought in Berlin Campaigners accuses the European Commission of lacking the political will to address the issue, arguing that the trade is not only morally repugnant, but also a case of consumer fraud. The British Department of Trade and Industry says it is examining the case for more scientific testing and more accurate labelling. But it says that scientific testing very difficult to do on account of the expense and the shortage of laboratories capable of doing it. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2771361.stm Action demanded on cat and dog fur say cat and dog fur is finding its way to Europe Members of the European Parliament are renewing demands for an import ban on cat and dog fur, which they say is finding its way onto European markets. We are appalled by some of the pictures of this trade that we have seen, but we can only act within the laws that we have Beate Gminder European Commission The fur is used as trims on jackets, handbags and other products, the MEPs say, with customers being misled or deliberately left in the dark about its origins. The MEPs have signed a letter calling on the European Union to ban the products - although the European Commission insists that it currently has no powers to do so. "We are appalled by some of the pictures of this trade that we have seen, but we can only act within the laws that we have," said Beate Gminder, spokeswoman for Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne. Italy has already banned the products, and the commission in Brussels says each individual country within the EU should decide whether it wants to follow suit, given the lack of European legislation. Campaigners claim that up to two million animals are slaughtered every year in countries including China. What we are dealing with here is massive consumer fraud Struan Stevenson British MEP An investigation by the Humane Society of the USA said cats and dogs were kept in cruel conditions in animal farms, and that many were skinned alive to prevent the furs losing their condition after the animals' death. The fur finds their way on to the market with misleading labelling, campaigners claim. Cat fur might be labelled as rabbit, or dog fur might say "Asian wolf", says Louise Stevenson of the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade. "There are lots of euphemisms, as manufacturers know that consumers would not buy cat and dog," said Ms Stevenson. "Some shops are even assured by their suppliers that the fur is fake." If you can have laws to ban child pornography, surely you can ban other things that are morally and ethically questionable Louise Stevenson Anti-fur campaigner British Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson, among those to sign the letter to Mr Byrne, disputes the Commission's claims to be powerless to act. "What we are dealing with here is massive consumer fraud," he said. Campaigners also insist that the EU has a moral duty to act. "If you can have laws to ban child pornography, surely you can ban other things that are morally and ethically questionable," Ms Stevenson said. "I think it is a lack of will rather than a lack of legislation." The European Commission says it believes only relatively small amounts of the fur are coming in, although campaigners say there has been a surge into Europe since a US ban on the fur was introduced two years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 This is sick!! I hope none of this stuff is exported to the US--that bit about cat and dog furs being labeled " fake fur " is scary. Danielle " You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake " --Jeanette Rankin ----Original Message Follows---- Bodhimind3 Cats Farmed For Skins In EU Fri, 9 May 2003 03:44:54 EDT Are these stories true? This is outrageous! ( Tim <A HREF= " http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3009537.stm " >http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/\ europe/3009537.stm</A> Cats 'farmed for skins in EU' BBC News has seen evidence which suggests that cats are being farmed for their skins in the European Union. Let me say that cats and dogs are not farmed for their fur in the 15 EU member states - EU commissioner David Byrne It is thought that tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of cat and dog skins are traded in Europe each year. Campaigners say that now is the time for national governments or the European Commission to act. Europe, it seems, is a magnet for cat and dog fur. Cat blankets, so the aficionados say, are good for rheumatism. US ban Dog pelts are often labelled misleadingly and sold as the fur of some exotic, even mythical beast. Cat and dog fur trade Campaigners claim 2 million cats and dogs slaughtered every year Main exporter: China 12 to 15 adult dogs needed to make a dog fur coat Up to 24 cats needed for cat fur coat Cat and dog fur also used in hats, gloves, shoes, blankets, stuffed animals and toys Dog fur sometimes labelled as: Gae-wolf, sobaki, Asian jackal, goupee, loup d'Asie, Corsac fox, dogues du Chine, or simply fake or exotic fur Cat fur sometimes labelled as: house cat, wild cat, katzenfelle, rabbit, goyangi, mountain cat Since the US has banned the trade of cat and dog skins, the European market has expanded. A video seen by BBC correspondent Tim Franks shows one Belgian furrier displaying a blanket he says was made from cats farmed in Belgium. What is more, he says that stray cats and dogs are rounded up and skinned. That would seem to contradict the assertion from the officials who help run the EU at the European Commission that there is no cat or dog farming inside the union. " Let me say that cats and dogs are not farmed for their fur in the 15 member states of the European Union, " EU Health and Consumer Protection commissioner David Byrne wrote to a British member of the European Parliament last year. Officials in Brussels repeated on Thursday that they had no evidence of cat or dog farming in the EU. They said it was up to national governments to ban the trade in cat and dog fur. Alsatian coat So far, though, only Italy has brought in such a ban. British MEP Struan Stevenson told the BBC that two million cats and dogs are being killed in China alone each year, in order to satisfy demand in Europe. He also said that he has seen videos of animals being skinned alive. As evidence of the trade he has collected: A blanket made out of four golden retrievers, bought in Copenhagen Individual cat skins complete with eye-holes, paws and tails, bought in Barcelona A full-length coat made out of up to 42 Alsatian puppies, bought in Berlin Campaigners accuses the European Commission of lacking the political will to address the issue, arguing that the trade is not only morally repugnant, but also a case of consumer fraud. The British Department of Trade and Industry says it is examining the case for more scientific testing and more accurate labelling. But it says that scientific testing very difficult to do on account of the expense and the shortage of laboratories capable of doing it. <A HREF= " http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2771361.stm " >http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/\ europe/2771361.stm</A> Action demanded on cat and dog fur say cat and dog fur is finding its way to Europe Members of the European Parliament are renewing demands for an import ban on cat and dog fur, which they say is finding its way onto European markets. We are appalled by some of the pictures of this trade that we have seen, but we can only act within the laws that we have Beate Gminder European Commission The fur is used as trims on jackets, handbags and other products, the MEPs say, with customers being misled or deliberately left in the dark about its origins. The MEPs have signed a letter calling on the European Union to ban the products - although the European Commission insists that it currently has no powers to do so. " We are appalled by some of the pictures of this trade that we have seen, but we can only act within the laws that we have, " said Beate Gminder, spokeswoman for Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne. Italy has already banned the products, and the commission in Brussels says each individual country within the EU should decide whether it wants to follow suit, given the lack of European legislation. Campaigners claim that up to two million animals are slaughtered every year in countries including China. What we are dealing with here is massive consumer fraud Struan Stevenson British MEP An investigation by the Humane Society of the USA said cats and dogs were kept in cruel conditions in animal farms, and that many were skinned alive to prevent the furs losing their condition after the animals' death. The fur finds their way on to the market with misleading labelling, campaigners claim. Cat fur might be labelled as rabbit, or dog fur might say " Asian wolf " , says Louise Stevenson of the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade. " There are lots of euphemisms, as manufacturers know that consumers would not buy cat and dog, " said Ms Stevenson. " Some shops are even assured by their suppliers that the fur is fake. " If you can have laws to ban child pornography, surely you can ban other things that are morally and ethically questionable Louise Stevenson Anti-fur campaigner British Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson, among those to sign the letter to Mr Byrne, disputes the Commission's claims to be powerless to act. " What we are dealing with here is massive consumer fraud, " he said. Campaigners also insist that the EU has a moral duty to act. " If you can have laws to ban child pornography, surely you can ban other things that are morally and ethically questionable, " Ms Stevenson said. " I think it is a lack of will rather than a lack of legislation. " The European Commission says it believes only relatively small amounts of the fur are coming in, although campaigners say there has been a surge into Europe since a US ban on the fur was introduced two years ago. _______________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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