Découverte de fourrures de chiens aux USA

[Animal 0]

p.s.: en Chine, les chiens «Raccoon dog» sont des chiens à fourrure épaisse et similaires aux chiens St-Bernard...
-Burlington (USA) se trouve à environ une heure et demie de Montréal....
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HSUS
Dec 21,2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Humane Society of the United States Announces Mass Spectrometry Tests
that Reveal Major Retailers Selling Mislabeled Fur Coats

“Raccoon Dog” Fur from China Found Mislabeled as Raccoon and Coyote—HSUS
Calls on Companies to Remove All Raccoon and Coyote Coats

WASHINGTON (December 21, 2006) – After announcing the results of an
investigation last week that several major American retailers were falsely
advertising real fur as “faux,” The Humane Society of the United States
announced a new key finding: some of the real fur sold at Burlington Coat
Factory and J.C. Penney and labeled as “raccoon,” “racoon” [sic], and
“coyote” from China is actually fur from raccoon dogs, revealing a second
major problem with the fur sales of these companies and their suppliers.
With this finding, the stores are in violation of the Fur Products Labeling
Act and The HSUS has called on retailers to pull all of their coats with
raccoon or coyote fur. The HSUS is awaiting test results for a Sean John
coat from Macy’s that was advertised as “faux” but was in fact real fur.

“Last week, we released information revealing that major U.S. retailers were
advertising real fur as faux in Internet, circular, and store advertising,”
said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United
States. “If the consumers had looked past the advertising and examined
labels inside the coats, they would have seen that the coats were made from
real fur from raccoons and coyotes. Today, we have uncovered another major
problem: the real fur was mislabeled and the fur comes from a canine species
known as ‘raccoon dog.’ All major retailers should pull any raccoon or
coyote fur from China until all parties understand the scope of the improper
and illegal labeling.”

An HSUS investigation in China in 1998 revealed that fur sellers in China
will attach almost any label their customers want on their coats. That
investigation and subsequent ones revealed the inhumane and barbaric killing
of domesticated dogs and raccoon dogs. Today’s mass spectrometry results
found that Baby Phat jackets labeled as “racoon” [sic] and “coyote” and sold
at Burlington Coat Factory, a Calvin Klein jacket labeled as “raccoon” and
sold at Burlington Coat Factory, and an A.N.A. jacket labeled as “raccoon”
and sold at J.C. Penney, all tested positive as raccoon dog fur. The HSUS
had previously discovered last October through mass spectrometry testing
that an Andrew Marc coat from Saks Fifth Avenue and a Michael Kors coat from
Macy’s, labeled as “raccoon,” and a MaxMara coat from Bloomingdale’s,
labeled as “Finni raccon” [sic], were actually raccoon dog. In total, of the
ten jackets tested by The HSUS, eight were found to be raccoon dog fur but
incorrectly labeled, and one test is still pending.

A Calvin Klein spokesman stated they were not aware that any of their fur
garments were raccoon dog, but they had already made the determination some
months back to eliminate fur in the future, investigating the timeline now
but committed to being out of fur no later than Spring 2008. The HSUS is
reaching out to other designers to alert them to the test results.

Due to the lack of animal welfare laws and prevalence of garment factories,
China currently ranks as the leading exporter of fur and supplies half of
all of the fur products that enter the United States for sale. Animals
documented being raised and killed in China – in barbaric ways – include
dogs, cats, foxes, mink, and, of particular note, raccoon dogs, a species of
canine whose fur resembles raccoon.

The Fur Products Labeling Act prohibits the advertising or sale of any fur
product that is falsely or misleadingly labeled, and authorizes the Federal
Trade Commission to seek criminal penalties, impose fines of up to $5,000
per violation and to seize mislabeled products.

The HSUS is also calling on Congress to amend the Dog and Cat Protection Act
– which bans the sale of dog or cat fur in the United States – to include
raccoon dog, since the animals are so inhumanely killed and the species is
similar to domesticated dogs. Raccoon dogs are indigenous to Asia, including
eastern Siberia and Japan, and are sometimes called Asiatic raccoons, Finn
raccoons, or tanuki. “It would be jarring to the public to shop in a
marketplace where dog and cat fur is banned, but coats labeled as ‘raccoon
dog’ are still legally sold,” added Pacelle.

Each year, over 50 million animals worldwide, such as dogs, cats, raccoon
dogs, mink, foxes, bobcats, beavers, raccoons, and lynx, are killed for
their fur. By supporting fur-free designers, sponsoring fashion design
contests and advertising in industry publications, The HSUS’s Fur Free
Campaign works with both consumers and the fashion industry to encourage
decisions that reject the use of fur and instead promote warm and
fashionable alternatives. To learn about The HSUS’s Fur Free Campaign and
what you can do to take action, visit our website www.furfree.hsus.org.

Today’s Mass-Spectrometry Results:

Sample #1
Burlington, Calvin Klein, “Raccoon” (Fur origin: China) tested: Raccoon Dog

Sample #2
Burlington, Baby Phat, “Coyote” (Fur origin: China) tested: Raccoon Dog

Sample #3
J.C. Penney, A.N.A, “Raccoon Strips” (Fur origin: China) tested: Raccoon Dog

Sample #4
Burlington, Baby Phat, “Racoon” (Fur origin: China) tested: Raccoon Dog

Sample #5
Burlington, Baby Phat, “Racoon” (Fur origin: China) tested: Raccoon Dog

Sample #6
Burlington, Baby Phat, “Coyote” (Fur origin: China) tested: Coyote

Sample #7
Macy’s, Sean John, “Raccoon” (Fur origin: China) tested: awaiting results

2005 Test Results:

Sample #8
Bloomingdale’s, MaxMara, “Finni Raccon” (Fur origin: China) tested: Raccoon
Dog

Sample #9
Saks Fifth Avenue, Andrew Marc, “Raccoon” (Fur origin: China) tested:
Raccoon Dog

Sample #10
Macy’s, Michael Kors, “Raccoon” (Fur origin: China) tested: Raccoon Dog


CONTACT: Tracey McIntire, 301-548-7793, tmcintire@...

Belinda Mager, 646-469-4987, bmager@...

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal
protection organization with nearly 10 million members and constituents. The
HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion
animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat
protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection, and farm
animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education,
investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The
nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives
and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.



The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St., NW
Washington, DC 20037
www.hsus.org
Promoting the Protection of All Animals