Now this is just plain gross - Insist on labelling all fur products

Insist on labelling all fur products

Can't stop import of cat and dog fur
Letter, Feb. 10. - The Toronto Star

Not only must we ban the import and sale of dog and cat fur in Canada, we must also insist on the proper labelling of all fur. As it stands right now, no fur requires a label indicating the animal of origin, or country of origin. Not only is it legal to sell cat and dog fur in Canada, it is legal to sell it unlabelled.

Consumers have a right to know whether it is faux fur they're purchasing or whether the trim on that parka is actually dog or cat fur.

For more information please visit http://www.DogCatFur.com.

From www.DogCatFur.com:

Dogs and cats, like those many of us love so dearly, are being brutally slaughtered and killed for their fur. Reports estimate about two million per year internationally. These beautiful, trusting animals are being skinned, just to provide fur and bits of fur trim, for clothing and accessories.

Video footage taken as part of an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States in China, Thailand, and the Philippines, reveals dogs and cats in unspeakable, horrific conditions. They were found imprisoned in dirty, cold, damp cages, sometimes beaten, stabbed, strangled, or worse before being butchered horribly in plain view of the other animals. Some were strays. Some still had collars on.

This dog was killed for his fur.

This jacket has trim made of dog fur.

Any situation in which an animal is made to suffer at the hands of a human fills the heart with sorrow. Though it's hard to believe, dogs and cats are now suffering, along with so many other animals, to make frivolous fur products and fur trim.

Legal in Canada
It is Legal to bring Dog and Cat Fur into Canada - and sell it at a store near YOU!

In Canada, cats and dogs are our beloved friends and life-long companions. We develop an incredible bond with these animals, receiving from them perhaps more than we give! Loving them as we do, one would think that they would never be killed for something as unnecessary as fur - like for a cat's toy 'mouse', or for needless trim on the hood of a jacket.

However, unbeknownst to most of us, products made from dog or cat fur are out there and are being welcomed through our borders, into Canada. LEGALLY.

It is legal to import dog and cat fur into Canada.
And it is legal to sell dog and cat fur in Canada.
And fur sold in Canada is NOT even legally required to be labelled!

Fur, fur-trimmed items, knick-knacks and accessories made with cat, dog or other fur, can be sold at a store near you, without any label stating that it is real fur, let alone what kind of fur it is or where that fur came from.

Puppies. Canada is supporting this terrible cruelty.

Asia-Pacific Trade - Dog and Cat Fur's Doorway to Canada

China is already Canada's second largest trading partner. We are also poised to double trade with China by 2010 as part of the new 'Pacific Gateway Strategy'.

Yet the Canadian Government says it has "no intention" of banning dog or cat fur.

The USA banned it. Canada can too!

American citizens slammed their door on this market five years ago. In 2000, after a public outcry to the government, the United States BANNED the trade in dog and cat fur products.

The preamble in the USA's Dog and Cat Protection Act states:

"The trade of dog and cat fur products is ethically and aesthetically abhorrent to United States citizens. Consumers have a right to know if products offered for sale contain dog or cat fur and to ensure that they are not willing participants in this gruesome trade."

Dog Fur Coat and Cat Fur Coat found for sale in the USA before the USA ban. (Photo: HSUS)

Global Markets Shutting Down

In addition to the US ban - Italy, France, Denmark, Greece, Belgium, Switzerland and Australia have also banned this disgusting trade.

The entire European Union (25 countries) could be next. Celebrities like Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills McCartney are campaigning right now for an EU-wide ban.

As foreign markets close their doors to dog and cat fur, Canada will become an even more appealing market for individuals looking to profit from this cruelty.

It is imperative that Canada ban this gruesome trade, and now!