The illegal & legal fur trade of small wild cats as well as domestic cats is resulting in the diminishing of once healthy populations of these beautiful cats.
In addition, the practices & conditions at these plants are cruel & inhumane. Wild leopard cats are caught in traps or by poisoning. They are kept in cruel, cramped, unclean conditions & are often skinned alive & cast thrown out still alive. China is long known for it's inhumane & torturous treatment of animals.
Hanging by the neck from a wire noose, water is poured down their throat through a hose until they drown. Many are skinned while still alive.
When the Humane Society of The United States investigated the cat and dog fur industry in China, Thailand and the Philippines, they found cats and dogs that were once someone's pets, rounded up, transported in sacks and crates for long periods with no food or water. Some are held in dingy, dark unheated buildings during the bitter winter of northern China, often without food or water.
We were shocked to see many current listings on ebay for furs made from Geoffroy Cats as well as Leopard Cats & "Lippi" Cats the definition of which is:
"Lipi" or "Lippi" is a name that certain unsavory aspects of the fur industry illegally apply to one of two possible sources:
1. Asian Leopard cats, which are rare across their home ranges, and only growing more scarce as time goes by due to illegal hunting and trafficking for the fur and pet trades
or
2. Illegally-acquired domestic cat skins, which are mainly acquired in China, sold to countries such as Germany and Italy (where they are dyed to resemble the fur of exotic wild cats, and then processed into items such as coats, scarves, hats, etc.), and then illegally imported into the United States and touted as "An exotic Asian wildcat that is not endangered" (which is a lie in and of itsell. ALL Asian wildcats - indeed, all wildcats, large and small - ARE endangered)
However, it is virtually impossible to tell, just from looking, whether most furs have been dyed. The only way to be 100% certain is to perform DNA testing on the furs. However, since this is rarely done, most unscrupulous furriers can get away with either poaching, or encouraging the slaughter of domestic pets for "Fashion". From -
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/8873
In the US items under $150 don't have to be labeled with the exact animal used. Most items made from dog & cat fur falls in that category. Let's change that.
It takes a minimum of 25 Geoffroy or Asian Leopard Cats to make one short coat.
This is a disgrace & should not be allowed! Please help us put an end to these barbaric practices!
