Green Party calls for cat and dog fur ban

The Green Party is urging New Zealand to follow the European Parliament and ban the import and manufacture of products that use cat and dog fur.

The unanimous vote in the European Parliament yesterday to back a Europe-wide ban on the cat and dog fur trade means the European Union will be joining several other countries which have already banned the trade, including the United States and Australia.

"I am certain New Zealand consumers do not want to buy cat and dog fur and that retailers would not want to sell it either. But at present there are no restrictions on the import of cat and dog fur into New Zealand.

"New Zealand needs to follow the example of the European Union and ban this barbaric trade in farmed fur," Green Party Animal Welfare Spokesperson Sue Kedgley says.

"Far-reaching Humane Society International investigations have revealed a massive trade, with several million cats and dogs being bred and slaughtered in horrific conditions. The fur, which is often fraudulently labelled, is used in clothing, accessories and toys.

"Much of the cat and dog fur coming from China is deliberately mislabelled, or not labelled at all. This means that consumers have no way of knowing where the fur comes from, or what methods have been used to get it. The Government needs to protect consumers, and take a clear stand against this cruel trade," Ms Kedgley says.

"This could be done by amending Customs regulations to make it illegal to import cat and dog fur, with hefty penalties for importers who breach the rules.

"This is easy to do and should be done as soon as possible, so that New Zealand can join the growing community of nations who prohibit products that are produced using cat and dog fur."