Denmark
Copenhagen, May 2001—HSUS investigators, alerted by the Danish group Anima, documented the sale of domestic dog and cat fur at a retail store. The store openly sells dog and cat fur imported from China.
France
Garenne-Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine), March 2000—A stash of cat skins was discovered in a warehouse. Acting on the basis of an anonymous tip, Nanterre police found the cat skins buried under a pile of assorted other animal skins. (Agence France-Presse Newswires, March 8, 2000)
Deux-Sevres, 1997—The Directions des Services Vétérinaires discovered 1,500 cat skins held by a merchant intending to export them for the manufacture of toys. (Agence France-Presse Newswires, March 8, 2000)
Germany
May 5 and May 21, 2001—the German website www.zweitehand.de advertised Gaewolfmantel (dog) coats. Numerous dog and cat fur coats have been advertised for sale on this site since 1997, when HSUS researchers first began monitoring it.
Berlin, December 1999—HSUS investigators videotaped gae-wolf coats available for sale in two fur stores. Investigators purchased one gae-wolf coat with an invoice labeling it as such.
Leipzig, April 1997—Investigators documented 10,000 Korean gae-wolf pelts offered at a major auction house. Monitored by HSUS researchers from 1997 to 1998, this auction house listed regular offerings of gae-wolf pelts.
Billigheim, 1995—An auction list from a German furrier offered G. Wolf felle (dog) and Hauskatzen (cat).
Italy
May 6, 2001—According to Lega Anti Vivisezione, RAI 1 television broadcast an interview with a leather goods importer who admitted to having imported dog skins. During the interview he apparently stated that Italy currently imports 50,000 to 100,000 dog skins annually from China.
1996—A shipment of 4.7 tons of dog hides intended for export to Italy was intercepted by authorities in Hong Kong. The dog hides originated in Henan, China, and were seized for not bearing proper permits. Under a local law all products of rabies-prone animals require authorization from the Hong Kong Agriculture and Fisheries Department before entry into Hong Kong. (Agence France-Presse Newswires in English, January 7, 1997)
Treviso, 1990s—A boot company imported dog fur from China as a lining for ski boots. A U.S. subsidiary of this company sold boots labeled, "trim: Chinese dog fur," before being enjoined from further imports of these boots in 1994. (Atlanta Constitution, February 1, 1992; Footwear News, August 15, 1994)
Spain
Barcelona, 2000—A garment purchased in a store along the well-known Ramblas was identified through forensic analysis as domestic cat fur.
