ANIMAL FORUM

HELP - Calls for China fur ban as animal cruelty exposed . See the
video proof as animals are skinned alive. - GRAPHIC WARNING!! NOT FOR
CHILDREN!!


The full HORRIFIC video can be seen here. Please use ADULT CAUTION in
the presence of children.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

http://www.peta2.com/takecharge/swf/fur farm.swf


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Full report by
Dennis Chong


Animal rights groups have called for an embargo on fur produced on the
mainland in light of an investigation that exposed the daily
operations of Chinese fur farms - with video footage showing animals
skinned alive.

Shocked local and international activists say the findings provide new
evidence that people of conscience should not wear fur, and that the
legitimacy of the fur trade in Hong Kong - one of the mainlands major
partners re-exporting 80 percent of its fur - should be reviewed.

The calls came after the 2005 Hong Kong International Fur and Fashion
Fair ended on Monday, which local fur dealers heralded as evidence of
strong growth in demand for Hong Kong fur products.

A total of 172 exhibitors, including 72 from 13 countries,
participated in the four-day event.

But the video footage - which shows batteries of animals trapped in
cage rows and a raccoon dog, hung on its hind legs, being skinned - is
fast gaining attention with digitalized video clips being circulated
rapidly over the Internet.

The investigations findings re-freshed the decade-long battle between
activists and the multibillion-dollar business, with local dealers
rebuffing the probe as over-generalizing the situation and one that
``will not help to improve animal welfare.

Swiss Animal Protection, Britains Care for the Wild and East
International jointly conducted a probe into the mainland fur farming
business last year and recently released a 15-page report.

The investigation, for which undercover activists visited several
farms in the northeastern Hebei province, holding from 50 to 6,000
animals, found ``animals were universally handled roughly and confined
to rows of inappropriate, small wire cages.

``Animals are stunned with repeated blows to the head or swung against
the ground, the report says.

``Starting from the hind legs, workers then wrench the animals skin
from their suspended bodies, until it comes off over the head ... a
significant number of animals remain fully conscious during this
process.

Calling the findings ``horrendous, the three groups called on the
mainland to immediately outlaw inhumane slaughtering methods and the
European Parliament to ban the import of products made of mainland
fur.

The report also states Hong Kong is the biggest exporter of mainland
fur, taking 80 percent of the trade.

``I am at a loss to explain what goes through the mind of those people
who do not care if they have killed an animal or just rendered it
unconscious. How can you justify skinning an animal while it is still
conscious? asked Mark Rissi, a Swiss Animal Protection campaigner
and an author of the report.


He said the findings have spurred outrage in Switzerland with three
department store chains stopping the sale of textiles with fur
trimmings originating from China.

Cynthia Su, director of London-based East International, declined to
say how the investigators entered the farms, only saying it was made
possible through ``international efforts and that the videos were
shot inside the farms.

Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals deputy
director, Fiona Woodhouse, said ``a large amount of the worlds fur
productions have effectively relocated to China where cheap labor and
lack of regulations have allowed production to become more
cost-effective.


About 85 percent of the worlds fur items originate from farms. While
Scandinavian and Eastern European farms have taken the brunt of
accusations, the burgeoning mainland sector is receiving growing
attention as it starts to dominate the worlds market.

``Sensationalized campaigns are not the solution, the Hong Kong Fur
Federation said in response to the report.

While a growing number of mainland fur farmers are introducing
``Western standards, it said, the reports conclusion provides a
``sweeping generalization about the situation in China.

The federation also refutes the claim that the majority of fur
produced in Chinese farms is exported overseas, saying the vast
majority of exported fur products are made of European or North
American skins, and that items produced locally are for domestic use.

It says the key to improving animal welfare is to allow access of
local fur products to the international market and improve the
livelihood of fur farmers.

Despite several approaches by The Standard, the federation refused to
elaborate on its statement and clarify Hong Kongs role in handling
mainland fur - given pelts undergo a number of processes, often in
various countries, before reaching consumers.


According to mainland Customs, which was quoted in the report, the net
volume of fur imports and exports in China hit US$997.6 million
(HK$7.8 billion) in 2003, up 42.5 percent from the previous year.

While more than 95 percent of the fur clothing is sold overseas, 80
percent of the trade is handled by the SAR, the report says. Hong Kong
exports in the sector hit HK$3 billion last year, a growth of 31
percent from 2003.


http://www.careforthewild.com/files/Furbriefingdoc206 paginated.pdf

Swiss Animal Protection SAP
http://www.animal-protection.net/furtrade/report fur china.pdf

Photographs
See some of more then 500 photos from inside China