Fw: [aucklandanimalaction] China pledges to stop cat and dog fur trade

May 26, 2006

- Auckland Animal Action

aucklandanimalaction

Thursday, May 25, 2006 10:28 AM

[aucklandanimalaction] China pledges to stop cat and dog fur trade

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=183734382<http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=183734382 & p=y83735x88> & p=y83735x88China pledges to stop cat and dog fur trade24/05/2006 - 16:23:32 The animal cruelty video that makes Heather Mills McCartney cry has finallytriggered a Chinese government pledge to stamp out the trade in cat and dogfur, it emerged today.Miss Mills McCartney recently admitted that the horrific footage of cats anddogs being rounded up and skinned alive - to save the cost of humane killing- brings tears every time she sees it.And she has watched it countless times while championing an end to thebarbaric slaughter of millions of animals a year in China to service theEuropean market in canine and feline fur.Now Scottish Conservative Euro MP Struan Stevenson, who has worked closelywith Miss Mills McCartney on the campaign, has been assured by seniorChinese government officials that they are just as horrified and will act toend the practice.Mr Stevenson, in Beijing to push for action, showed the footage to StateForestry Administration Deputy Chairman Zhao Xuemin and his officials andsaid afterwards: "They were horrified by this evidence. I will now report tothe European Commission that there will be no opposition in China to theproposed EU directive banning the import, export and trade in cat and dogskins across the EU."Mr Xuemin told Mr Stevenson that Chinese law prohibited the "barbarianpractice" of skinning animals alive or any other kind of cruelty.He also insisted that there was no tradition in China of wearing fur madefrom dogs and cats and that they were regarded as "friends and pets".But he also admitted to Mr Stevenson: "However, we cannot deny thatincidents of cruelty do occur, such as those you have brought to ourattention."Sadly this barbaric trade is driven by economic factors. But these casesyou have mentioned have made a strong impression on us and we will makerenewed efforts to stamp out these barbaric practices."Last January, after Lady McCartney had twice visited the European Parliamentto demand EU action, European Commissioner Markos Kyprianou announced thatBrussels was considering a ban on the cat and dog fur trade as part of afive-year plan to improve animal welfare.Mr Stevenson said that decision was regarded in Beijing as helpful toChina's new pledge to eradicate the trade: "Commissioner Kyprianou can nowproceed with all possible speed to get approval for an outright ban."The Commission said it was looking at a ban "for ethical reasons and inresponse to considerable public concerns".The Humane Society International helped exposed the business, revealingevidence of a thriving cat and dog fur trade in many European countriesincluding France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgiumand Denmark.An estimated two million cats and dogs are being killed each year in Chinato fuel the trade, which is not illegal in the EU.DNA tests have shown that many rugs, coats and figurines on sale in shops inEuropean countries are made from real cat and dog fur but are usuallymarketed as being made of fake fur.Auckland Animal ActionPO Box 7523Wellesley StreetAucklandNew Zealandwww.aucklandanimalaction.org.nzwww.aucklandanimalaction.org.nz/forum/

Feel free to call! Free PC-to-PC calls. Low rates on PC-to-Phone. Get Messenger with Voice