Facts about Chinese Fur Farms

The United States should strongly oppose the shocking treatment of animals raised, killed, and skinned alive on Chinese fur farms and take action by urging the U. S. Ambassador to China to convey the United States' opposition to these cruel savage methods.

• A year-long undercover investigation by Care for the Wild International (CWI), Swiss Animal Protection and EAST International of fur farms in China's Hebei Province revealed that before they are skinned alive, animals are pulled from their cages and thrown to the ground before workers bludgeon them with metal rods or slam them on hard surfaces, causing broken bones and convulsions but not always immediate death. Other animals watch helplessly as workers make their way down the row.
  
• Many animals are still alive and struggling desperately when workers flip them onto their backs or hang them up by their legs or tails to skin them. Video evidence shows workers on these farms cutting the skin and fur from an animal's leg while the free limbs kick and writhe. When the fur is finally peeled off over the animals' heads, their naked, bloody bodies are thrown onto a pile. Some of the animals are still alive, hearts beating for as long as 10 minutes after they are skinned. One investigator recorded a skinned raccoon dog on the heap of carcasses who had enough strength to lift his bloodied head and stare into the camera.
  
• On these farms, foxes, minks, rabbits, and other animals pace and shiver in outdoor wire cages, exposed to driving rain, freezing nights, and, at other times, scorching sun. Disease and injuries are widespread, and animals suffering from anxiety-induced psychosis chew on their own limbs and throw themselves repeatedly against the cage bars.
  
• There are no regulations governing fur farms in China%u2014farmers can house and slaughter animals however they see fit.
  
• A growing number of international fur traders, processors, and fashion designers have gradually shifted their business to China, where the absence of restrictive regulations makes life easier and profit margins broader.
  
• Fur from China ends up in virtually every mall in America, on jackets and other garments with fur collars, trim, and lining. A survey of U.S. retail outlets reveals that many mass-market fur-trimmed garments carry the "Made in China" label. However, since raw fur pelts often move through international auctions before being sewn in other countries, the final product may also read, "Made in Italy," or, "Made in France" making it impossible for consumers to know where the fur originates.

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