Stop the barbaric slaughter of cat & dogs in Asia

[Melanie]

Heather Mills McCartney (wife of Paul McCartney) tells about the unbelievable slaughter of cats and dogs in Asia (especially China) for the fur trade and has launched this petition:

www.heathermillsmccartney.com/petition.php

[Peter]

I'm against any fur trade, so I've signed it. I'm totally for an EU ban on fur imports. However, I know they eat these animals there. And I'm not against that. We also eat animals, like pigs and cows (people in India think that is horrible). As long as we also eat meat, we cannot be against it even when cats and dogs have a special status here. Cultures are different, and that is good!

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From the European Union website: europa.eu.int/comm/food/animal/welfare/international/index_en.htm.

Imports of cat and dog furs

Following reports in the media, there are increasing concerns in Europe about the production, use, trade and import of cat and dog fur. However, no information confirms that cats and dogs are farmed for their fur in the European Union.

At the moment the Commission's services are examining options for Community measures in the light of the experiences gained by the Member States in implementing national legislation on this issue. The respective requirements of WTO law, legal basis under Community law and the interplay with existing legislation to prevent consumer deception will also be taken into account.

The question of a ban on trade or imports of cat and dog fur was discussed during the Agricultural Council on 30 May 2005 and at the meeting of the Intergroup for Animal Welfare in the European Parliament on 8 June 2005. On these occasions Commissioner Kyprianou announced that the Commission is surveying the possibilities to establish an EU-wide ban and if necessary to propose a labelling system for furs. The legal framework to support such an initiative is currently under study. Meanwhile he also launched an appeal to the Member States that have already put a ban in place or that are working on new analytical methods to distinguish cat and dog fur from the fur of other species to report on these experiences to the Commission since these data will help to determine the type of action to envisage at Community level. In particular Member States have been requested to provide precise information on the enforcement of their national bans and on the analytical methods for furs that are under development. This request of information has been formally presented to Member States experts during the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health of 8 June 2005. Finally the Commission had the opportunity to reiterate its views that the establishment of national bans would further facilitate the process of establishing a European wide ban.

[sebbe67]

I have also signed it now.

[ada]

I'm against any fur trade, so I've signed it. I'm totally for an EU ban on fur imports. However, I know they eat these animals there. And I'm not against that. We also eat animals, like pigs and cows (people in India think that is horrible). As long as we also eat meat, we cannot be against it even when cats and dogs have a special status here. Cultures are different, and that is good!

I totally double what you said. Cultures are different and should have the opportunity to continue their customs if they do not represent a serious threat to the ecosystem (like sadly the Inuit Bowhead whale hunts).
Also I do not see sense in fur trade in a developped part of the world such as the E.U. There are places in the world where people actually use furs to keep themselves warm or trade them to survive (The Evenki people for example) and I can respect that, but E.U is certainly a different kettle of fish.

[Peter]

It is indeed double, and I have double feeling about it. I'm not against eating cats or dogs, as long we also eat pigs and cows, etc. But EU citizens do not need fur, so an EU ban would have my support. The sustainable use of animals like the Inuit do is OK to me too. So I agree with you on that.

[Peter]

I saw yesterday a documentary on the BBC of the anti-fur trade lobby/protests by Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills McCartney. Very confrontating.

THe EU will discuss the dog and cats fur ban this year. The images from China were shocking! The documentary mentioned also that the Chinese government is starting to do something about the conditions the dogs and cats are kept and killed. I hope they will and will enforce it. But I'm sceptic. This should indeed be stopped!

[sebbe67]

www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=fur_farm

among the most disgusting video I have ever seen, I dont understand how people can do such things to animals. Just unbelivable, dont find words to express what I feel when I see things like this

[Melanie]

People with weak nerves ar depressions should avoid to watch this film because it can boost emotional or psychic strain.

[Agent 204]

I signed... but I don't feel the need to look at the video to convince me.

[dantheman9758]

I won't sign it, call me evil but you guys are missing the fact that animals in the US (or any western world country) are also slaughtered for their hides and furs and it is no more or less humane than how they do it in Asia. And don't give me any argument about dogs and cats being "different" because they have personalities or intelligence and (what our countries call) livestock doesn't. Animals have whatever personality us "humans" falsely project on to them. It is unfair to say the least that you all are favoring cats and dogs in Asia, simply because our culture humanizes them so much. We look at our livestock and slaughterhouse animals as beef and wallets (which is fine with me, that's how our economy runs, better a human domesticated animal, than a wild animal) so let them do the same thing in Asia, or at least stop playing favoritism towards the animals you unfairly love more. If your going have me sign a petition, at least show me something that isn't hypocritical to our western way of living.


And I'm not a pet hater, I have 2 cats and 2 dogs and I love them very much... but again, they are just MY animals and If I was to force another culture to change their ways, just because they use the hides of animals that I love, than that would be a selfish and greedy gesture to all those cultures that are seen in places like India, where cows (that we slaughter) are considered sacred.

[dean]

Signed

[bish]

i should just sluater those poeple see how they like it

[bigdog]

I clicked on the video with the raccoons and remembered I saw a long time ago, I clicked it off right away. It is one of the most disgusting videos I have ever seen. To dantheman, I agree with what you are saying to a point. I would sign it for any country where it is taking place. These animals are skinned alive. Not to sound bad but, at least kill them first in a humane way. I have seen many videos on these subjects, all are pretty disturbing. They are disturbing in Asia and they are disturbing in the United States. To me, it is not about culture at all. It is about the animal being treated and killed in a humane manner. The only way that I could see an animal getting killed for it's fur is if the meat is used for human consumption, not just thrown away for nothing!

[Deleted]

Link not working...

[Peter]

That is because they were successful. The European Union (EU) now bans trade in cat and dog fur and products containing such fur, including imports and exports. The European Commission adopted a proposal on 20 November 2006. The European Parliament approved a compromise text on 19 June 2007 and the Council formally adopted the proposal in November 2007. And after a transitional period, that was necessary as several Member States had to adapt their national legislation to the new EU wide ban, it came into effect on 31 December 2008.

For more info see: europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/nature_and_biodiversity/f82004_en.htm