Cat and dog fur trade ban considered
23/01/2006 - 16:05:31

A ban on the trade in cat and dog fur across Europe is being considered by the European Commission following a major campaign championed by Heather Mills-McCartney.

The move is part of a comprehensive five-year plan announced today to improve animal welfare.

EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said: “The protection and welfare of animals is crucial, not least for ethical and moral reasons, but also to ensure animal health and the quality of food.”

He said the contents of today’s “action plan” were the result of months of feedback from consumers, scientists and international organisations.

Five targets have been set for the period 2006-2010:

:: Raise minimum legal requirements of animal welfare in Europe.

:: Boost research into alternatives to animal testing.

:: Introduce EU-wide harmonised animal welfare benchmarks.

:: Increase awareness of animal welfare requirements.

:: Support international initiatives for animal protection.

A ban on cat and dog fur imports is just one issue being pushed by animal rights lobbyists – but it has been boosted by the high-profile involvement of Sir Paul McCartney’s wife, who has visited the European Parliament twice to protest about the slaughter of millions of animals a year in China to service the market in canine and feline fur.

On one occasion Lady McCartney broke down in tears in Brussels at the screening of a video showing cats and dogs being rounded up and their skins being stripped from them live – to avoid the cost of humane killing.

Now the problem is highlighted in the Commission’s new plan, which states: “The Commission is looking into ways to ban the trade of cat and dog fur in the EU, for ethical reasons and in response to considerable public concerns on this issue.

“There are many legal issues to address before such a ban could be put in place, but the Commission is hopeful that a European solution can be found in the near future.”

Tory MEP Struan Stevenson and the Humane Society International helped exposed the business, revealing evidence of a thriving cat and dog fur trade in many European countries including France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.

An estimated two million cats and dogs are being killed each year in China to fuel the trade, which is not illegal in the EU.

DNA tests have shown that many rugs, coats and figurines on sale in shops in European countries are made from real cat and dog fur but are usually marketed as being made of fake fur.