The Humane Society of the United States urged speedy passage of a bill to require honest labeling of fur and to bar the import of a dog species from China, so that dogs are not killed to make fashion garments passed off as harmless "faux fur." The legislation was introduced February 7th on the heels of an ongoing HSUS investigation exposing the widespread scandal in the fashion industry.
A team of HSUS investigators found a proliferation of falsely labeled and falsely advertised dog fur on fashion clothing sold by some of the largest names in U.S. retailing. Of the fur-trimmed jackets subjected to mass spectrometry testing by The HSUS, 96 percent were found to be domestic dog, wolf or raccoon dog, and either mislabeled or not labeled at all. The raccoon dog is a member of the dog family with markings resembling those of a raccoon, known to be skinned alive for fur in China.
Nordstrom's, Tommy Hilfiger and Bluefly.com advertised jackets trimmed with fur from domestic dog as "faux," The HSUS discovered. The dog fur appeared as trim on the hoods of coats from popular brands such as Joie, Tommy Hilfiger and Andrew Marc. Additionally, The HSUS revealed that J.C. Penney was selling raccoon dog fur mislabeled as raccoon. The retailer pulled the garments, blacked out the name of the species from the label and returned the coats to the floor to be sold.
It is illegal to import, export, sell or advertise any domestic dog fur in the United States. Fur from other animals must be identified with a label, but only if the value of the fur exceeds $150. U.S. Representatives Jim Moran (D-Va.) and Michael Ferguson (R-N.J.), along with 28 additional cosponsors, today introduced the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act, which aims to protect consumers and animals by outlawing the import of fur from raccoon dogs and requiring all garments trimmed with fur to be labeled, regardless of value.
"Selling domestic dog and raccoon dog fur as 'faux' or other deceptive names is unconscionable," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS, the nation's largest animal protection organization. "We're very grateful to Rep. Moran and Rep. Ferguson for introducing this important legislation, and we urge Congress to pass the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act to prevent animal cruelty and consumer fraud."
The coats trimmed with raccoon dog fur were sold online as "raccoon" by Neiman Marcus, Dillard's and Smartbargains.com (Loehmann's online retailer) and as "rabbit" by Bergdorf Goodman and Footlocker. Other retailers uncovered selling misidentified or unlabeled raccoon dog fur include Lord and Taylor, Ross, D.E.M.O, Macy's, J.C. Penney and Burlington Coat Factory.
The designers involved include well-known brands such as Diddy's Sean John, Jay-Z's Rocawear, Beyoncé Knowles' Deréon, Calvin Klein, Andrew Marc, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Bogner, Baby Phat and DKNY. Many designers and retailers were shocked by The HSUS's test results: Deréon, Macy's, Rocawear and Sean John pulled the offending garments, with Rocawear and Sean John pledging not to use raccoon dog fur in the future, and Calvin Klein announced it will phase out the use of all fur.
"Americans don't want Lassie turned into a fur coat. Unfortunately, that's happening today because consumers lack the right information to make an informed purchase," said Rep. Jim Moran. "In the U.S., we treat cats and dogs as pets, not trimmings for the latest fashion wear. Our laws should be reflective of the special status Americans bestow on their companion animals, not contradictive."
Half of all fur garments entering the United States come from China, where large numbers of domestic dogs and cats as well as raccoon dogs are killed every year for their fur by brutal methods, sometimes skinned alive. The Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000 banned the trade in domestic dog and cat fur after an HSUS investigation revealed the death toll at 2 million animals a year and found domestic dog fur for sale in the United States.
"If consumers buy fur jackets from China, it's very possible they are getting falsely labeled fur from domestic dogs or raccoon dogs skinned alive," Pacelle added.
"American consumers have every right to know whether the faux fur coat they think they are buying is falsely labeled," said Rep. Michael Ferguson. "We are a nation of animal lovers and it's just outrageous that consumers are being deceived. Congressional action is needed to make sure the best, most accurate information is made available when purchasing new jackets and coats."
The Moran-Ferguson legislation will outlaw raccoon dog fur and close a loophole in the Fur Products Labeling Act of 1951 that 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—an amount that allows multiple animal pelts on a garment without a label.
In addition to Reps. Moran and Ferguson, other original cosponsors of today's bill include Reps. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.), Howard Berman (D-Calif.), John Campbell (R-Calif.), Lois Capps (D-Calif.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Robert Filner (D-Calif.), Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.), Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Kenny Marchant (R-Tex.), George Miller (D-Calif.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Todd Platts (R-Pa.), Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), Jim Saxton (R-N.J.), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Chris Shays (R-Conn.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Pete Stark (D-Calif.), Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Joe Wilson (R-S.C.).
Visit www.furfree.hsus.org for more on The HSUS's fur investigation.
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