Dog and cat fur is used in coats, linings for boots and gloves and toys, including toys for pets and Europe and Russia are said to be the main markets for fur of the animals killed in China and some other Asian countries.
The cats and dogs are usually killed in the cruelest fashion and are able to see their fellows being slaughtered in front of them. Many are still alive as their skins are cut from their bodies and the cruelty has been the subject of campaigns by animal rights organisations like PETA and supported by celebrities such as Sir Paul McCartney and his ex-wife.
It has been reported that MEPs have agreed with European Union member states on the text of the new law, which will come into being by December 2008, and it aims to stop cat and dog fur imports at the border, introduce penalties for traders, and to encourage sharing of information on the detection of cat and dog fur.
Cat and dog fur can be very hard to detect if it has been dyed, but some EU states are already using hi-tech systems including mass spectrometry or DNA testing, to identify it.
