EU Parliament reply to DOG/CAT FUR import--URGENT! Pls speak out for cats and dogs

[Guest guest]

I am forwarding to you, the reply I received from Commissioner Kyprianou's

office and further correspondence with his office. This is regarding the bill

currently in the European Parliament to ban dog and cat fur from Europe which

might pass with a loophole that would allow for fur from cats and dogs raised

for meat. The vote is due to happen soon, so I ask everyone to please drop them

a note based on the information below. We need to keep the pressure so as to

have a chance to close down the hellish dog and cat fur production in China. If

you are European, write to your reps as well, if not European write at least to

the email addresses below.

Thank you!

============================================================

Anti-Fur Society

Despina.Spanou<Despina.Spanou

Cc: Joanna.HAMBORG<Joanna.HAMBORG

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 6:36 PM

Reply to Commissioner Kyprianou of 21 February 2007

 

Dear Ms. Despina Spanou,

 

Thank you for your reply to my letter regarding the " Cat and dog fur Ban " bill

currently under the European Parliament's consideration. I do appreciate your

attention to this matter, and would like to take this opportunity to ask two

questions related to your reply:

 

Your reply regarding the " loophole " in question, is rather worrisome as it

indicates the Parliament's intention to keep the loophole that will keep legal,

fur that comes from dogs and cats raised for meat. Additionally, there is also

what could be interpreted as a " secondary " loophole: Fur that is obtained and

brought by people into the European countries will be legal.

 

These seem to confirm our greatest fear, and precisely the reason why the

Anti-Fur Society wrote to the European Parliament in the first place: The

loopholes will allow for the cat and dog fur business to go on as usual simply

because it is virtually impossible to check. China where 85% of the world fur

comes from, is infamous for their " fantasy " names for cat and dog fur to make

their goods more palatable to unsuspecting customers. Very simply, with this in

mind: What will it cost the Chinese to state that all cat/dog fur came from the

meat farm?

 

My questions regarding fur that came from meat farms as opposed to fur farms

specifically:

 

Consider this: There are virtually no dog and cat farms in China and the pet

meat market is largely supplied from the vast number of abandoned pets; they are

sold in small numbers from family's backyards, or they are even snatched from

pet loving families.

 

1) Therefore, how will EU be able to distinguish which pet meat farm such goods

came from since these are virtually non-existent?

 

2) What will European countries do to ascertain that the fur from cats and dogs

came from " pet for meat " farms as opposed to those that were raised specifically

for fur? How will it be possible when the Chinese will put anything on the

labels that the buyer ask them to?

 

The U.S. has a law which prohibits cat and dog fur into the U.S., but there is a

loophole for fur items below $150 to enter the US without questions as to what

type of material it is. Since all budget furs are below that price, cat and dog

fur is widely found in the US even at high end stores.

 

Quite frankly, if this law passes with these loopholes, the EU is simply wasting

their time and giving animal people false hopes that something is being done to

protect animals. In fact, this law will not be more than a faade and any hopes

to protect cats and dogs from the barbarian fur farms in China will cease to

exist under such law.

 

I pray that the European Parliament members will reconsider such decision which

could bring a glorious outcome towards human progress and decency or it could be

completely the opposite, and that would be a sad day to all those who are

striving towards a better world for everyone.

 

Best regards,

 

 

Rosa Close

www.antifursociety.org<http://www.antifursociety.org/>

" All beings tremble before violence. All fear death. All love life. See yourself

in others.

Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do? ~Buddha "

 

 

-

Joanna.HAMBORG<Joanna.HAMBORG

antifursociety<antifursociety

Monday, May 14, 2007 11:56 AM

Reply to your email to Commissioner Kyprianou of 21 February 2007

 

 

 

 

Dear Ms Close,

 

Please find attached the reply of Ms Despina Spanou, Member of the Cabinet of

Commissioner Kyprianou, to your letter to the Commissioner of 21 February 2007

concerning a ban on the import of cat and dog fur into the EU.

 

Best regards,

 

Jo Hamborg

-----------------

Secretary

Cabinet of Markos KYPRIANOU

Commissioner for Health

European Commission

Office: BERL 10/132

Tel.: +32 (0)2 292 0813

Fax: +32 (0)2 298 8473

joanna.hamborg<joanna.hamborg