CONGRESS MOVES TO PROTECT CONSUMERS BY REQUIRING LABELS ON FUR-TRIMMED GARMENTS

Legislation Aims To Close Loophole That May Leave Consumers Unwittingly Wearing Cat and Dog Fur

WASHINGTON (March 9, 2006) - A  federal labeling loophole that leaves shoppers in the dark about the type of fur trim on everyday apparel - faux or fox, even cat or dog - would be closed under legislation introduced last night by U.S. Reps. Michael Ferguson (R-NJ) and Jim Moran (D-VA). The Truth in Fur Labeling Act of 2006, HR 4904, would require all garments trimmed with real animal fur to be clearly labeled, regardless of their value.

The legislation aims to close the loophole in the Fur Products Labeling Act, passed in 1951, which exempts garments with a "relatively small quantity or value" of fur from requiring labels disclosing the name of the species, the manufacturer, the country of origin, and other pertinent information for consumers. The Federal Trade Commission defines that value today as $150.

"American shoppers would be shocked to learn that the little bit of fur trim on their collars or cuffs - even if it's shaved or dyed pink or purple to look deceptively fake - comes from real animals, possibly even dogs or cats," said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of The Humane Society of the United States. "We are grateful to Reps. Ferguson and Moran for introducing the Truth in Fur Labeling Act of 2006, and we urge Congress to pass it quickly. Consumers have the right to make informed purchasing choices, and not to have the fur pulled over their eyes."

Cat and dog fur was a little known industry until an 18-month undercover investigation by The HSUS exposed the grisly details in the late 1990s. Investigators found that millions of cats and dogs were being slaughtered each year in China for fur trim on coats, hats and other apparel. Investigators also found that many of these items ended up in major U.S. department stores, often mislabeled. Dog fur was sold as gae-wolf, goupee, Asian wolf, China wolf, Mongolia dog fur, Sobaki, Pommern wolf, dogue de Chine, and loup d'Asie; cat fur was sold as rabbit, maopee, goyangi, katzenfelle, natuerliches mittel, chat de Chine, and gatto cinesi.

As a result of the investigation, U.S. lawmakers banned the import of fur products made from domestic dogs and cats in 2000, but these animals are still being killed in China and the Czech Republic and their fur sold legally in Europe, Russia, and elsewhere. With the massive infusion of fur from China - including from a wild dog species called "raccoon dog" - continuing to flow into western markets, including the U.S., dog and cat fur may still be coming into this country despite the import ban. Clear labeling requirements would be an added layer of consumer protection.

"Consumers who are considering buying a new jacket or gloves have a right to know whether those garments contain fur and exactly what animal was used," Rep. Ferguson said. "Even consumers who thought they were buying faux fur can be confused by misleading or outright false labels.  Without clear labeling on fur-trimmed garments, consumers are wary that dog and cat fur is still slipping into this country."

The fur industry has changed a great deal since the fur labeling law first passed in the Truman years. The demand for fur-trimmed garments has grown, and the industry predicts the use of fur pelts for trim will soon surpass the use of pelts for full-length apparel. Additionally, today's fur manufacturing techniques make the unlabeled fur trim especially problematic for consumers. For instance, colorful dyes and unique shearing embellishments make the fur nearly indistinguishable from faux fur, dog and cat fur, or any other kind of fur.

With the current law exempting apparel if the fur material is valued at $150 or less, it means a garment could have lots of fur from lots of animals, and still there would be no requirement of a label. Based on approximate pelt prices after processing, an individual garment using the fur from 30 rabbits ($5 each) could be sold without a label. The same goes for 25 ermines ($6 each), five raccoons ($28 each), three badgers, beavers, fishers, or minks ($50 each), three Arctic, grey, or red foxes ($50 each), one bear or timber wolf ($150), and so on.

"People have a right to know if their collars, cuffs, or hats are trimmed with the fur from dogs, cats, mink, coyote, or any other species of animal or whether it is not fur at all as with the case of faux fur," said Rep. Moran. "No matter their choice, people need information to make informed decisions."