Dog and Cat Fur Products (Hansard, 19 November 2002)

§ Mr. Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan)

It is my pleasure to present the petition from my constituent Sandra Edwards of Ardglassie Farmhouse, Rathen, near Fraserburgh, who has helped to collect 2,500 names in an online internet petition for the group Voice 4 Dogs. It covers the same subject as an early-day motion signed by 229 Members, including myself. You will be interested to know, Mr. Speaker, that the issue 617 featured in the Sunday Post in October this year. I know that you take a substantial and keen interest in that paper.

The petition states:

To the House of Commons.

The Petition of Sandra Edwards and supporters of Voice 4 Dogs,

Declares that the import in dog and cat fur products for sale in Britain is unacceptable;

That these sales cause extreme unbearable pain and suffering to animals;

That this trade serves no need in the United Kingdom;

That a voluntary labelling scheme would be ineffective because items can be mislabelled;

That cat and dog furs are bleached and dyed to resemble more expensive furs; that over two million companion animals are killed in a cruel and inhumane way, which involves prolonged suffering, in China each year; that prior to their death, these animals are kept in appalling conditions; that 2,500 people have signed an on-line petition deprecating this trade and that the trade should be banned across Europe.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to ban the import and export of products made from dog and cat fur as soon as possible and to encourage other EU Member States to do the same.