Europe’s Connection

Recently, it was exposed on ITV national main news in Britain that cats and dogs are being systematically “farmed” for their fur in Belgium. Until now, these cruel products were thought to originate exclusively from China and the Far East. But now, a recent undercover investigation has revealed a horrifying and hitherto unknown aspect of the trade – that of clandestine cat fur farmers and pet thieves operating in Europe.

In May 2003, British Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson revealed the existence of video evidence confirming that cats and dogs are being bred for their fur in Belguim and turned into blankets, clothes and toys, the videotaped footage of Belguim furriers explained how this scandalous trade operates. One is clearly heard to claim that cats are farmed in Belguim while another admits that stray cats and dogs, including lost pets, are rounded up on the streets of Brussels and Ghent and slaughtered for their pelts. And a third Belguim furrier states that not long ago the bulk of his cats were brought by ferry from England, ruthless ‘cat hunters’ in London would go around in vans, rounding up pets, and bring them to him for sale. In response to this outrageous abuse , the Belguim government has since banned the national trade and import and of dog and cat fur.

The evidence was presented at the European parliament by a cross-party panel of MEP’s. Struan Stevenson held up a rug purchased in Copenhagen made from Four Golden Retrievers, a full length fur coat bought in Berlin made from the pelts of FORTY TWO German Shepherd puppies, cat pelts complete with eye-holes, paws and tails, and a small Cat in a basket ornament/toy, identical to the ones on sale throughout Europe including the UK, when DNA tested in the University of Amsterdam, perversely – tested positive as Dog DNA.

What world are we living in that this horrendous trade is allowed to continue – we the people must become aware and realise what is happening and go all out to fight for these defenceless innocent ‘souls of fur’ otherwise it will never stop. How many generations – how many more millions must die and suffer. These poor animals really need your help…..
WRITE LETTERS – DEMAND A EUROPE-WIDE BAN – ACT

Britain

StatCounter – Free Web Tracker and Counter OVER HALF THE WORLDS FUR – is traded through Britain! And in 2000, over 500 tonnes of fur, 66 tonnes classified as “other fur” – the category under which cat and dog fur falls – was imported – more than 21 tonnes was from China and Hong Kong. A recent “Newsnight” investigation showed a Leading member of the fur trade who was prepared systematically to mislabel dog fur imports. Jan Brown the director of public relations for the British Fur Trade Association even defended the trade. She wrote to several national newspapers saying that these animals were not pets and their slaughter for fur coats was justifiable.

Germany

European press reports have pointed to significant imports of cat and dog fur into Germany. Exporters, manufacturers, and auction authorities were contacted in an attempt to track the use of dog and cat fur; they found that dog fur known in Germany as gae-wolf, is widely available as jackets and coats, particularly at the lower end of the German fur market. HSUS investigators found gae-wolf garments for sale over the Internet on a German Web site. They also learned that at just one sale alone, a German fur auction house offered 10,000 dressed Korean gae-wolf furs. According to auction authorities, the fur was from dogs killed the previous November and December. Most of the dog furs sold at the auction were purchased by a Belgian furrier. Auction house employees said some of their buyers come from the US, though most are from Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

A German Importer told investigators that exports of dog and cat fur goods is not a problem, explaining, “It is just a question of the declaration” (what the product is called). Yet another testament to the evidently common practice of deceitfully mislabeling products to disguise the use of dog and cat fur.

GAE-WOLF IS A POPULAR FUR for jackets and coats in Germany, but do German people know that gae-wolf is actually dog fur, in all likelihood imported from China or Korea where dogs are bred and slaughtered under the cruelest conditions? How many Germans know that the fur they’re wearing is most often that of their own revered breed, the German shepherd.

At one German auction alone, One shipment from a Chinese company to the Czech Republic, reportedly for the Czech army, contained 5,329 kilograms (11,924 pounds) of “house cat skin jackets + pelts,” representing the slaughter of 40,000 to 55,000 cats. One shipment from China to Italy was seized for lack of proper permits. It contained 4.7 tons of dog hides.

France

France may be a country of dog lovers, but investigators found that dog fur (which is called loup d’Asie, or “wolf of Asia”), imported from China is used to make jackets sold mainly in the French Alps. Documentation shows that one French company had 2,000 dog fur plates on hand, with another 1,000 expected to arrive within the month.

1997 – The Directions des Services Vétérinaires discovered 1,500 cat skins held by a merchant intending to export them for the manufacture of toys.

Italy

For years Italy imported dog fur and skins from China and elsewhere for the manufacture of fur linings for the insoles of shoes and boots, as well as other products. In the early 1990s, one Italy -based ski company, Tecnica S.p.A., gained notoriety for using China- exported dog fur in boot linings. These boots were sold in the United States. At least one other Italian leather good manufacturer was identified by investigators as importing dog pelts from china. But campaigns in Italy led to the Italian Health Ministery introducing a ban on the import, sale and possession of dog and cat fur. Fines up to 9,000 euros can be enforced as well as shops being closed from 7 to 15 days. This is a result of the animal rights group LAV exposing the sale of jackets trimmed with dog fur in two supermarket chains.

The Price of Suffering

At a German auction, one Korean dog fur (German shepherd) was £9.

At one Chinese company dealing in “animal by-products,” a fur “plate” of 6 to 8 gray or orange cat pelts may be purchased for £13.50. Two plates make a short jacket. Three plates make up a coat. That’s 12 to 16 cats who suffer and die for each jacket, 18 to 24 cats killed for each coat. Cat-head plates are also available at this factory-36 cat heads per plate, at a price of £10.

A Beijing company declared its ability to export 20,000 cat skins as well as 20,000 dog skins between January and March 1998. In January the company had in stock the pelts of 50,000 cats and 50,000 dogs. Gray and orange cat pelts were £2 each; grey and tan dog pelts were £15.50 each.

Gray and orange cat skins at one Chinese company, were priced at £2.each; gray and yellow dog skins were £5.50 each.

A fur plate of 6 to 8 cats was priced at £13.50 at one Chinese company. At one Chinese factory, one cat skin cost £33, at another £2.50, in Beijing £2.

One Chinese company reportedly sells 10,000 dog and cat fur coats to Russia each year, and claims that companies in Europe are using dog skin in shoes and handbags and use dog fur in fur trim, though it may not be identified as dog fur.