E.U. to Ban Cat Dog Fur, notes Israel Rafalovich
Brussels - The European Commission has decided to adopt a proposal to ban the import, export and sale of cat and dog fur in the European Union.
There is evidence that cat and dog fur is being placed on the European market.
The vast majority of the cat and dog fur is believed to come from third countries, especially China where the rearing of these animals for this purpose is practiced.
Fifteen European Union member states already have some sort of relevant legislation in place with regard to cat and dog fur and this in response to the strong opposition of E.U. consumers to the trade of fur from these animals.
The proposed regulation addresses the concerns of European Union citizens and at the same time, creates a harmonised approach, prohibiting all production, marketing and imports and exports of cat and dog fur in the European Union.
It also creates a system of information exchange on the detection of cat and dog fur.
There has also been great political pressure to introduce a European Union ban in this area. Both the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers have officially asked to draft proposals on an E.U. ban on cat and dog fur which will be more effective than national bans and at the same time, will help restore consumer and retailer confidence.
As there is now no known practice of cat and dog fur production in the European Union, third country, especially from Asia, imports are considered to be the origin of such fur.
However, there are differences in the member states approaches, ranging from bans on the rearing and slaughter of cats and dogs, to labelling requirements, to restrictions on production or imports.
A uniform European Union ban on marketing and trading in cat and dog fur will set out a clear-cut legal situation and a level playing field throughout the European Union, thereby removing unnecessary barriers within the internal market.
The European Union has signed and ratified the Council of Europe's Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes, which set out principles for the keeping, care and housing of animals, in particular in intensive systems.
On the basis of this convention, special recommendations have been adopted on animals kept for fur production which lay down general requirements for farming mink, ferret, foxes and chinchilla, among others.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Please also see:
Fur Farming Pictures (photo source) http://www.atourhands.com/furfarm.html
Dog/Cat Fur Trade http://www.heathermillsmccartney.com/dogcatfur.php
Animals Asia Response to China Dog Culls - 16 November 2006
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?module=8&menupos=1&submenupos=1&item=1&lg=en&lg=en
Skinned Alive - Cats and Dogs Killed for the Fur Trade
http://www.caft.org.uk/factsheets/cats-and-dogs.html
China’s Shocking Dog and Cat Fur Trade
http://www.peta.org.uk/feat/dogcatfurUK.asp
"THE GLOBAL TRADE IN DOG AND CAT FUR"
http://www.africanconservation.org/dcforum/DCForumID12/71.html
Betrayal of Trust: The Global Trade in Dog and Cat Fur
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/fur_and_trapping/betrayal_of_trust_the_global_trade_in_dog_and_cat_fur/
Best Friends Forever:
Ban the Use of Dog and Cat Fur Says the Humane Society of Canada http://www.humanesociety.com/newsrel/newsrel.asp?thisrel=16122005&page=1
Cat and Dog Fur
http://www.gan.ca/campaigns/fur+trade/cat+and+dog+fur.en.html
Cat and Dog Fur Facts
http://www.idausa.org/facts/catdogfur.html
Year of the Dog
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?module=3&menupos=1&submenupos=1&lg=en&lg=en
Brussels - The European Commission has decided to adopt a proposal to ban the import, export and sale of cat and dog fur in the European Union.
There is evidence that cat and dog fur is being placed on the European market.
The vast majority of the cat and dog fur is believed to come from third countries, especially China where the rearing of these animals for this purpose is practiced.
Fifteen European Union member states already have some sort of relevant legislation in place with regard to cat and dog fur and this in response to the strong opposition of E.U. consumers to the trade of fur from these animals.
The proposed regulation addresses the concerns of European Union citizens and at the same time, creates a harmonised approach, prohibiting all production, marketing and imports and exports of cat and dog fur in the European Union.
It also creates a system of information exchange on the detection of cat and dog fur.
There has also been great political pressure to introduce a European Union ban in this area. Both the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers have officially asked to draft proposals on an E.U. ban on cat and dog fur which will be more effective than national bans and at the same time, will help restore consumer and retailer confidence.
As there is now no known practice of cat and dog fur production in the European Union, third country, especially from Asia, imports are considered to be the origin of such fur.
However, there are differences in the member states approaches, ranging from bans on the rearing and slaughter of cats and dogs, to labelling requirements, to restrictions on production or imports.
A uniform European Union ban on marketing and trading in cat and dog fur will set out a clear-cut legal situation and a level playing field throughout the European Union, thereby removing unnecessary barriers within the internal market.
The European Union has signed and ratified the Council of Europe's Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes, which set out principles for the keeping, care and housing of animals, in particular in intensive systems.
On the basis of this convention, special recommendations have been adopted on animals kept for fur production which lay down general requirements for farming mink, ferret, foxes and chinchilla, among others.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Please also see:
Fur Farming Pictures (photo source) http://www.atourhands.com/furfarm.html
Dog/Cat Fur Trade http://www.heathermillsmccartney.com/dogcatfur.php
Animals Asia Response to China Dog Culls - 16 November 2006
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?module=8&menupos=1&submenupos=1&item=1&lg=en&lg=en
Skinned Alive - Cats and Dogs Killed for the Fur Trade
http://www.caft.org.uk/factsheets/cats-and-dogs.html
China’s Shocking Dog and Cat Fur Trade
http://www.peta.org.uk/feat/dogcatfurUK.asp
"THE GLOBAL TRADE IN DOG AND CAT FUR"
http://www.africanconservation.org/dcforum/DCForumID12/71.html
Betrayal of Trust: The Global Trade in Dog and Cat Fur
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/fur_and_trapping/betrayal_of_trust_the_global_trade_in_dog_and_cat_fur/
Best Friends Forever:
Ban the Use of Dog and Cat Fur Says the Humane Society of Canada http://www.humanesociety.com/newsrel/newsrel.asp?thisrel=16122005&page=1
Cat and Dog Fur
http://www.gan.ca/campaigns/fur+trade/cat+and+dog+fur.en.html
Cat and Dog Fur Facts
http://www.idausa.org/facts/catdogfur.html
Year of the Dog
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?module=3&menupos=1&submenupos=1&lg=en&lg=en