Americans love their companion animals, so people are understandably horrified and outraged when they hear that cats and dogs are being killed and skinned alive in China so that their fur can be made into clothes, fashion accessories and toys. A recent Chinese fur farm investigation documented dogs and cats stuffed into wire-mesh cages and exposed to harsh weather while being transported long distances across the countryside. Some of these animals still wore collars and nametags, indicating that they were stolen from their guardians not long ago. Upon arrival, they were thrown from the tops of trucks still in their cages to smash on the ground 20 feet below, further traumatizing the animals and breaking their bones. Fur ranch workers were also videotaped laughing while peeling the raw, bloody skin from the bodies of cats and dogs who were still clearly alive and conscious.
Many dog and cat guardians have contacted IDA asking us what they can do to stop these atrocities from happening, so we would now like to tell people about a new tactic in our campaign to stem this carnage. The Chinese pet products industry is very profitable: it is larger than their toy and candy industries combined, and it brings much more money to the booming Chinese economy than cat and dog fur sales. This makes China vulnerable to a boycott that will hit them where it really counts: their bottom line. As part of our campaign against the Chinese cat and dog fur industry, we are urging all animal lovers not to buy any products sold in pet stores labeled "Made In China" until the Chinese Government initiates and enforces meaningful legal humane standards to regulate the fur industry. We are also asking pet store owners across the country to refuse to stock these items in the first place.
IDA urges everyone to never buy anything with fur on it, including cat and dog toys, because all fur products are made from the dead bodies of animals who suffered - no matter what species they are or what country they were killed in. We are using our campaign against the Chinese cat and dog fur industry to help people understand that animals like foxes, minks and raccoons suffer just as much as cats and dogs exploited by the fur industry. Most people automatically understand that abuse of cats and dogs is wrong, so reminding them that other animals are living, feeling creatures just like our animal companions sensitizes them to the way other species are treated on fur ranches.
Dying for fur: A Report on the Fur Industry in China
EAST International/Swiss Animal Protection SAP
