Following Humane Society International's (HSI) revelation that dog and cat fur products from Asia are on sale in Australia, the Australian government is moving toward banning imports of cat and dog fur. In late July the staff of Customs and Justice Minister Chris Ellison revealed that Ellison and three other ministers were preparing an option paper for the government, "with a view to presenting the most effective means of stopping the import of cat and dog fur."
Beginning in 1997, The Humane Society of the United States and HSI have been investigating and documenting the international trade in dog and cat fur. We found that millions of domestic dogs and cats are killed annually for their fur, dying for the manufacture of clothing, accessories, and trinkets. Investigators witnessed firsthand the brutal slaughter of domestic dogs and cats in China and other Asian nations. What The HSUS found shocked people. Many of these animals are raised in cold, unsanitary breeding compounds. Some are strays. Others are pets who were most likely stolen. And the killing methods are grisly. Dogs—German shepherds, chows, and mixed breeds—are bludgeoned or bled to death. Cats are often strangled with wire nooses.
The investigation ultimately led to a U.S. ban on products that use such fur. Australia now has the opportunity to enact its own ban. HSI understands that the final decision will be made by the prime minister. Please let him know that he will have your support if he takes this important step.
What You Can Do
Please write a polite letter to Australian Prime Minister John Howard. You may wish to tell him that:
- You are pleased that Australia is considering a ban on the import of cat and dog fur, and that the measure has your full support.
- You are appalled by cruelty in the cat and dog fur industry, as revealed by HSI's investigations in Asia.
- You are angered by the fur trade's use of misleading labels to dupe consumers into buying their products.
- You would be concerned if the government did not go as far as an outright ban on imports.
The Hon. John Howard
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600 Australia
Fax: +61(0)2 6271 5414
Please send copies of your replies to HSI at admin@hsi.org.au.
To read The HSUS's brochure on the dog and cat fur investigation, Betrayal of Trust, download the PDF.
To read the U.S. Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000, passed after the U.S. Congress learned of The HSUS's investigation, download the PDF.
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