The Belgian government recently announced a temporary ban on the import of dog and cat fur and skins, joining four other European countries that have already called a halt to the inhumane trade within their borders. The ban comes on the heels of last year's
Humane Society International investigation that revealed cat-and-dog-fur items on sale in Belgium.
Belgium's January 16 announcement also included a prohibition on the sale of seal skins and oil as well as an order to begin labelling all fur so that authorities can know what is on sale in Belgian shops and what is entering the country. The government will now no longer grant a license to importers seeking to bring in cat/dog fur or seal skins.
Both the bans and the labeling order went into effect immediately; the prohibitions are temporary, but the Belgian legislature is expected to replace the stopgap measure with an even broader ban that would stop both the imports and exports of cat and dog fur and skins. The HSUS, working with Belgian NGOs, will push for the country to include the sale and production of cat and dog furs and skins in the permanent ban. Unless there is some delay, the permanent ban is expected to go into effect in October 2004.
Belgium is now the fifth country to ban the import of dog and cat fur, which mostly comes from Asia, where an estimated two million dogs and cats are killed annually for the trade. The other countries are Italy, France, Greece, and Denmark.
"Belgium's prompt and firm action on this issue brings it in line with the other countries that have no intention of allowing Asian merchants to traffic in animal cruelty and defraud our consumers," said Neil Trent, HSI executive director. "Moreover, it is clear that government officials want no part of toxic toys and the hazards that accompany them."
Trent is referring to a December laboratory report, issued by a Dutch animal-protection organization, that showed two items made with dog fur contained toxic levels of chromium. Both items were on sale in The Netherlands.
That bombshell came after last year's HSI undercover investigation in three Belgian towns, where investigators not only found dog and cat fur items on sale, but also caught on tape retailers saying that some of the fur allegedly came from cat farms in Belgium. What's more, those same retailers alleged that some of the fur may have come from strays or lost pets.
These reports set off a media frenzy around the globe—as far away as Malaysia and the Philippines. Belgian member of the European Parliament Nelly Maes—a co-sponsor of the Written Declaration that calls for the European Union (EU) to ban the import, export, sale and production of cat and dog fur in Europe—provided her government with an unedited version of the HSI undercover footage as well as the evidence on the toxic items in The Netherlands.
Maes urged Belgium, which shares a border with The Netherlands, to immediately take action in light of evidence of fraud, cruelty, and toxicity in consumer goods. Belgium's action stands in stark contrast with the European Commission's foot-dragging. The commission believes this is an issue for individual nations to tackle, not the EU.
"It's astounding that with such mounting pressure—from members of the Council of Agriculture Ministers, individual EU countries, the majority of the members of the European Parliament, and the public at large—all we are able to get from the European Commission on this issue are excuses and defensive statements," the HSI's Trent said.
Trent added: "This issue will not go away despite the commission's attempts to stall, in the hope that an incoming parliament and an expansion of the EU will dilute the anger, frustration and determination to get rid of this nasty, toxic and obnoxious business in Europe once and for all."
