China Using Dog Trim on Clothing

by Adam Goldstein | Apr 30, 2007

You can help end this unethical practice!

Hard to believe, but you may be wearing dog. 

A startling investigation by the Humane Society of the United States discovered dog fur is used by many top clothing designers, and they may not even know it. Half of fur garments entering the United States come from China, where abuse and disregard of companion pets is a regular occurrence. Large number of dogs, cats, and raccoon dogs, are killed for their fur, and these pets are sometimes skinned alive. Designers, retailers, and consumers currently can have no confidence in what type of fur they are getting when it originates in China. 

Two congressmen are taking action against what they call deception in the fur trade, introducing the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007 (H.R. 891). This bill combats apparel companies that cover up the origin of certain furs, including cats and dogs, used in coats and clothing. 

An existing exemption to current law says garments that are made with less than $150 of fur do not have to be labeled with the type of fur used. As a result, garments by merchandisers like Tommy Hillfiger, Michael Kors, Bogner and DKNY were found to be labeled as “faux” fur, “raccoon”, or “rabbit”...but they were really dog and raccoon dog. 

Using dog and cat fur is illegal in the United States, so Representatives Jim Moran, D-VA, and Mike Ferguson, R-NJ, introduced legislation that requires labeling on all fur garments. The bill would also ban the sale and import of raccoon dog fur, a wild species of dog found in China. 

“The raccoon dog and domestic dogs are being killed in inhumane ways for the U.S. fur trade,” Moran said. 

Contact your representatives in the federal government to let them know you support H.R. 891, or link to your representative by visiting www.pawschicago.org.