Dog and Cat Fur. An appalling trade!

[DawnCt1]

I couldn't watch that show. Animal abuse literally gets me sick. Just thinking about it upsets me terribly. Cudos to those who are spreading the word about China. I hope Europe wakes up soon. The only way to stop this horrible practice is not to buy the product. You don't have to be a PETA person to help the people trying to stop this barbaric torture. As another poster said, living creatures in general, including people, don't fare too well in China. Thank you Dawn for starting this thread. It doesn't usually get a lot of media coverage. aw:

You are welcomed. Particularly at Christmas when people tend to buy a lot of novelty and stuffed animals, it is useful information. Now watch out for the flame throwers that will accuse us of "bashing China". It won't be the first time.

 

[DawnCt1]

Bessie, my aunts pet cow bonded with us and we loved her dearly. We still ate her though.

It's a different culture with different values about animals/pets. I don't think it's up to us to police how another country uses animals as their resources. Upset about this then be upset about trapping here in the U.S., be upset about eating cows, pigs and chickens. Have you seen how they kill the animals we eat?

So the attitude is, "if we can't do it for all, we can't do it for any". I never got that. We don't HAVE to police other countries, we just have to chose not to do business in that bloody, barbaric trade. That's an easy decision for me. With regard to the slaughter of cows, even they aren't slaughtered in front of the other cows. I believe an autistic person invented the ramp to shield them from that.

 

[eclectics]

Bessie, my aunts pet cow bonded with us and we loved her dearly. We still ate her though.

It's a different culture with different values about animals/pets. I don't think it's up to us to police how another country uses animals as their resources. Upset about this then be upset about trapping here in the U.S., be upset about eating cows, pigs and chickens. Have you seen how they kill the animals we eat?

With all due respect, I don't think the FDA would approve of companies that would skin a cow alive before killing it. And all trapping is cruel, imho. If China sees nothing wrong with killing domesticated animals, like you said, it's their country. Torturing them however should never be acceptable to civilized people. Again, just my opinion. And if enough people choose to boycot these products, I see nothing wrong with that.

 

[cardaway]

In his INTERVIEW he wasn't on the PETA fringe. In the end does it matter? A stopped clock is right twice a day. Do you think that this kind of barbaric treatment, that is so abhorant, that we ban it in the USA is acceptable? Is it acceptable because the Bloviator Baldwin says it isn't?

Alec is one of PETA's biggest supporters. If you don't like PETA it doesn't make a lot of sense to support Alec IMO.

The entire world treats animals poorly to process food and other products. The turkeys people had on TG were treated poorly. Same with all those steaks, chicken wings, shoes, and car seats. Even the commerical fishing industry can be taken to task and how bad they treat fish.

I can have some respect for the PETA folks who speak out on all issues, but the pick and choose folks, not so much.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I don't think it's up to us to police how another country uses animals as their resources.

Nobody is going to argue with humane practices of hunting and slaughter (well, almost nobody ). What is being discussed is the barbaric and inhumane treatment of animals in China and the unimaginable and horrific suffering they are forced to endure. There is a difference. The World Society for the Protection of Animals and similar international groups work to stop animal cruelty throughout our world.

Bear Bile Farming in China: http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues.../the_unbearable_trade_in_bear_parts_and_bile/

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I will step up to the plate....

Lately, I have been watching what I buy....I prefer to buy American if I can, but try and find it.

This just makes me ill, never mind that children are slaving in factories making things for export, we now have to think that under a certain price, we could be buying cat or dog fur. I am horrified.

 

[DawnCt1]

Alec is one of PETA's biggest supporters. If you don't like PETA it doesn't make a lot of sense to support Alec IMO.

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I don't see the problem. Again, I don't get this "all or nothing" attitude. Alec happens to be exactly right on this issue.

 

[Crankyshank]

So those of you who think it's ok to skin dogs and cats to make stuffed animals are ok with Japanese whaling and Chinese shark finning?

 

[eclectics]

Alec is one of PETA's biggest supporters. If you don't like PETA it doesn't make a lot of sense to support Alec IMO.

The entire world treats animals poorly to process food and other products. The turkeys people had on TG were treated poorly. Same with all those steaks, chicken wings, shoes, and car seats. Even the commerical fishing industry can be taken to task and how bad they treat fish.

I can have some respect for the PETA folks who speak out on all issues, but the pick and choose folks, not so much.

I have to disagree. People from all spectrums can come together for a common cause. Happens all the time. Yes, animals slated for human consumption don't live great lives. But they are not deliberatly tortured and skinned alive. Animals slated for their fur as a rule fare much worse than cows and chickens. It's not really picking and choosing. These poor animals face horrors that food animals never will face.

 

[cardaway]

So those of you who think it's ok to skin dogs and cats to make stuffed animals are ok with Japanese whaling and Chinese shark finning?

It all sucks, but so does the picking and choosing of causes.

 

[cardaway]

Animals slated for their fur as a rule fare much worse than cows and chickens. It's not really picking and choosing. These poor animals face horrors that food animals never will face.

Not trying to flame because I respct you, but that post sounds a lot like - those food animals don't suffer enough. They are tortured, they are not treated like anything but inventory, and they suffer a great deal.

 

[cardaway]

I don't see the problem. Again, I don't get this "all or nothing" attitude. Alec happens to be exactly right on this issue.

So is it that he's usually totally wrong or that he usually doesn't hit close to home?

 

[Free4Life11]

I think it's nasty because I am allergic to animals and the thought of wearing animal fur on my would just make me sneeze and be miserable.

 

[eclectics]

Not trying to flame because I respct you, but that post sounds a lot like - those food animals don't suffer enough. They are tortured, they are not treated like anything but inventory, and they suffer a great deal.

Thanks, and I you. I do see your point. I do understand the miserable lives food animals lead. If someone believes that keeping any animal imprisoned and then taking their life is wrong, then yes, I can see the argument of hypocrisy. My point simply is that what they do in China to cats and dogs can't really be compared to what we do here to a cow or pig. Perhaps yes, I am blinded by the fact that these are domesticated animals that most in the world consider to be companion animals. I will admit to feeling strongly because these are cats and dogs.

 

[Keli]

I don't understand why any animal would need to be skinned alive. I just can't fathom that and I'm not willing to click on any of the links provided to see if I can find out because I don't want to be further sickened. I think PETA is stupid a good portion of the time but occassionally they have been known to agree with my stance on an issue. I guess it's the stopped clock is right twice a day that DawnCT mentioned. Anyway I would support the regulation that all fur be labled regardless of it's value.

 

[cardaway]

Thanks, and I you. I do see your point. I do understand the miserable lives food animals lead. If someone believes that keeping any animal imprisoned and then taking their life is wrong, then yes, I can see the argument of hypocrisy. My point simply is that what they do in China to cats and dogs can't really be compared to what we do here to a cow or pig. Perhaps yes, I am blinded by the fact that these are domesticated animals that most in the world consider to be companion animals. I will admit to feeling strongly because these are cats and dogs.

Of course it's good to try an improve the situation in any of these abuse cases. I think the danger is picking and choosing the causes that hit close to home and focusing on the actions of other countries. PETA members are notorious for picking one champion issue and flat out supporting products that are the result of other abuse issues.

There is also the issue of what should or shouldn't be the norm in places vastly different than the US. The US does abuse animals for food and throws away more of that processed meat than other places have on any given day. Pretty hard to make a case that other lesser off countries should have to be compared to the US in any way. What they do for food, and what they do for money, simply doesn't translate the way these groups like PETA want them to IMO.

 

[eclectics]

Of course it's good to try an improve the situation in any of these abuse cases. I think the danger is picking and choosing the causes that hit close to home and focusing on the actions of other countries. PETA members are notorious for picking one champion issue and flat out supporting products that are the result of other abuse issues.

There is also the issue of what should or shouldn't be the norm in places vastly different than the US. The US does abuse animals for food and throws away more of that processed meat than other places have on any given day. Pretty hard to make a case that other lesser off countries should have to be compared to the US in any way. What they do for food, and what they do for money, simply doesn't translate the way these groups like PETA want them to IMO.

I used to be a PETA member but I had some issues with them for various reasons and am no longer a member. Yes, I suppose it is hypocritical to pick and choose the cause du jour, as it were, but one can also argue that while focusing on some animals and not others isn't optimal, it is still better than no help for any of them. And while I certainly respect other countries cultures and customs regarding animals, I don't believe what the Chinese are doing is a cultural thing. I am all for people trying to better themselves financially but you have to draw the line somewhere. Torturing elephants by ripping out their ivory tusks for profit and leaving them to die in horrible pain is now outlawed just about everywhere in Africa. Same should be done with the fur in China.

 

[DawnCt1]

Of course it's good to try an improve the situation in any of these abuse cases. I think the danger is picking and choosing the causes that hit close to home and focusing on the actions of other countries. PETA members are notorious for picking one champion issue and flat out supporting products that are the result of other abuse issues.

There is also the issue of what should or shouldn't be the norm in places vastly different than the US. The US does abuse animals for food and throws away more of that processed meat than other places have on any given day. Pretty hard to make a case that other lesser off countries should have to be compared to the US in any way. What they do for food, and what they do for money, simply doesn't translate the way these groups like PETA want them to IMO.

I don't need PETA or Alec or Heather, to know that skinning a dog or a cat alive is hidious. I am glad that the United States has banned these products. I don't care about the "sensibilities" of the Chinese and that this may be "culturally" acceptable to them. It isn't culturally acceptable to the most of the Western World, particularly if they knew the details of the fur warming their cheeks. Does that make our culture "better" than theirs and their culture "worse" than ours? In this case, you betcha!

 

[Galahad]

It all sucks, but so does the picking and choosing of causes.

Gotta watch those hobgoblins, huh?

 

[Laura]

I don't care about the "sensibilities" of the Chinese and that this may be "culturally" acceptable to them. It isn't culturally acceptable to the most of the Western World, particularly if they knew the details of the fur warming their cheeks. Does that make our culture "better" than theirs and their culture "worse" than ours? In this case, you betcha!

I have to disagree with you here. Naturally, I am not an advocate of skinning cats and dogs for their fur and agree that it is a hideous practice.

However, I certainly do not think the Chinese culture is "worse" than ours because they're skinning animals we consider our "best friends". We do awful things over here, too, like rooster- and dogfights and tortuous unnecessary lab animal testing and animal abuse. Some things that happen are legal, some not. Sometimes it just depends on where you live how animal abuse is punished by law.

Obviously, there is a hierarchy of the animal kingdom in our country, as there is in China. Here, dogs and cats are special, and generally get far better treatment than your average chicken or pig. In Korea they eat dogs, which horrifies us here. In this country we eat cows, which horrifies people in India. This doesn't mean I think India's culture is better than ours.