Your Say

18/06/2007

Evans hails success in European ban on cat and dog fur

Welsh Conservative MEP Jonathan Evans says that success is now in sight for the campaign for a Europe-wide ban on the production or trade in furs from cats and dogs.

The European Parliament is set to vote tomorrow (Tuesday 19 June) in favour of such new laws.
Speaking in Strasbourg, Mr Evans says the ban is a massive success for a seven year long campaign against the import and sale of such products.

“Seven years ago, no-one knew that millions of cats and dogs in China were being systematically used to create a dishonest appalling trade in furs,” he says.

“We found that the animals were treated with appalling cruelty – sometimes even being skinned alive to save time. It was only when we were able to obtain under-cover film of this from the Animal Cruelty campaigners that many people came to understand the scale of this dreadful scandal.
“We discovered that many items sold with fur trimmings in markets throughout Europe, including in Wales, contained cat and dog fur. We even discovered a fur coat being sold within a few miles of the European Parliament in Brussels, which was found on analysis to be made from the skins of 42 Alsatian puppies!

“Over the past years I have drawn widespread attention in Wales to our campaign, and I pledged in my last election manifesto to continue my efforts for a European ban – in spite of indifference at that time from the European Commission and Member States.

“The turning point was when we were able to win a majority of votes in Parliament two years ago demanding EU-wide action, and this week we will be voting to approve a full European-wide ban on this disgraceful industry and its dishonest and cruel members.

“Every European country will now have to comply with this ban. This is exactly the sort of thing which our constituents want their MEPs to do, and this is one instance of those days when we can at last say that new European laws are welcome.”

Parliament will vote on the Report on Tuesday 19th June for a Regulation banning the placing on the market and the import of or export from the Community of cat and dog fur and products containing such fur.

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