Humane Society Seeks Dog Fur Crackdown

Will Ask FTC To Fine Retailers, Designers For Mislabeled Fake Fur

(CBS/AP)  A national animal rights group wants to put a group of fur retailers and manufacturers in the dog house.

The Humane Society of the United States will ask the Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday to fine high-end retailers and designers of clothing that contains mislabeled fur from dogs, wolves and raccoon dogs. The group also would like inventories seized and perhaps charges filed.

"Consumers have a right to know what they are purchasing," said Michael Markarian, the executive vice president of the Humane Society. "If they are truly getting a type of dog fur, they should be outraged."

The documents filed with the FTC name designers Andrew Marc and Michael Kors, among others. Many major department stores, including Barneys New York, Macy's, Dillard's, J.C. Penney, and Neiman Marcus also were cited.

The petition stems from a Humane Society investigation that turned up products that were made with fur from dogs, wolves or raccoon dogs, a species found mainly in Asia, that were sold as either fake fur or other types of fur in violation of the Federal Fur Products Labeling Act.

Raccoon dogs look like oversize, fluffy raccoons and aren't kept as pets. Importing their fur is not illegal, but activists argue they are still a type of dog.

"Domestic dogs and raccoon dogs are killed in brutal ways for their fur in China," says the Humane Society on its Web site. Raccoon dogs "are known to be skinned alive for fur in China, where they are caged and killed in large numbers."

Mislabeling fur is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $5,000 fine or a year in prison. Fur valued at less than $150 doesn't have to be labeled.

Jim Sluzewski, a spokesman for Macy's parent, Federated Department Stores Inc., said his company opposes selling dog fur but takes its vendors on faith that they comply with company policy.

"It is our vendors that label product, and we expect them to do so accurately," he said in an e-mail. "We take immediate action whenever we find a violation of policy."

Late last year, Macy's immediately pulled from its shelves coats with raccoon dog fur but labeled as raccoon and advertised as rabbit after the Humane Society raised the issue with the chain.

"Macy's hasn't done enough as far as we're concerned," Markarian said Monday, claiming that it is still selling other products with raccoon dog fur.

The Humane Society said in its petition that Barneys sold fur-trimmed jackets with tags claiming they used coyote fur when they really used fur from wolves. Barneys did not return a call for comment.

Josh Chapman, a spokesman for the manufacturer of the jacket, I. Spiewak and Sons Inc., said his company inspects the facilities where they purchase coyote fur. "We certainly know that everything is coyote, nothing could be anything else," Chapman insisted.

Design company Michael Kors (USA) Inc. said it is conducting its own internal investigation on the sources of fur products it sold through Dillard's stores.

"We certainly expect the companies to be discussing these issues internally, but they've had plenty of time to do that," Markarian said.

Dillard's did not respond to a requests for comment. J.C. Penney said it had no comment.

Neiman Marcus Group Inc. spokeswoman Ginger Reeder said her company removed all products with fur trim from their Web sites after the Humane Society investigation.

"Further investigation assured us that these vendors were also in compliance with this act and they have provided us with proof that the merchandise is properly labeled," Reeder said.

Charles Jayson, chief executive of Andrew Marc, disputed the Humane Society and insisted in a statement that all fur on his coats labeled as raccoon contains "only farm-bred raccoon fur from Finland, and our items labeled 'faux fur' are a 100 percent synthetic fabric."

The results of the Humane Society investigations set some retailers scrambling to pull the coats from shelves, take them off Web sites and offer refunds to consumers. They include Nordstrom, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Burlington Coat Factory. None of them was named in the Humane Society's complaint to the FTC.

"We believe that many of the companies were just as shocked as we were," Markarian said about various responses to the investigations. "Some companies have been leading the way. ... The other companies, by comparison, have done nothing."

[jeng1977]

I read the article and then read some of the comments. I went to the Humane Society's page and watched the first 15 seconds of the video. I could watch no more. I am at work, literally in tears. What I have seen disgusts me. Whoever the person was that said that they care more about animal abuse than human abuse, I'm with you. Animals are helpless, mostly defenseless creatures. I know it sounds crazy but why SHOULD I care about the abuse of humans when humans treat animals (and each other) so poorly.

[katiekat42]

If they were fighting for all fur usage I could understand the outrage.

I am just annoyed by the picking and choosing we do. Why is one animal ok for fur but others aren't? You can't have animal auditions to decide what animal is ok to kill.

Personally - an animal killed just for its fur makes me want to vomit. That goes for ANY animal.

[johnjulian1]

Listen, people:

Go and look a the video of the skinning of the raccoon dogs in China! The little animals are simply slammed onto the ground. It does not kill most of them. Then their legs are cut off (while they are alive). Then they are skinned (while they are alive!)

Then watch the head of the little animal who has his legs cut off and has been skinned alive and he raises his bloody skinned head, opens his mouth, cries, and opens and closes his eyes.

There is NO BLOODY JUSTIFICATION OF ANY KIND for that! NONE! Not in a civilized society.

[knyghtwolf]

The time will be soon when people who do these kinds of things to animals will be repaid, I just hope I can be there to bear witness. Humanity has long suffered from Illusionary Delusion & A.C.I.D (Anal/Cranial Inversion Disorder) coupled with healthy doses of religious L.I.D.S. (Limited Intellectual Disability Syndrome) which is more popular with the low brow crowd & politicians. HUMAN'S....the OTHER white meat.....LOLOLOL Soon, VERY SOON, the ignorance at the top of the food chain will fall to the bottom of the heap.

[rocckme]

I for one am against any type of cruel treatment to any animal , this includes humans also . Yes folks , we share the planet with these creatures . If you don't care about animals on this earth , thats fine , you have a right to speak your opinion . And we have a right to speak ours . And trust me on this one , we have a much larger following !

This makes me sick to my stomach ....SHAME ON YOU JC PENNY'S

[rocckme]

I for one am against any type of cruel treatment to any animal , this includes humans also . Yes folks , we share the planet with these creatures . If you don't care about animals on this earth , thats fine , you have a right to speak your opinion . And we have a right to speak ours . And trust me on this one , we have a much larger following !

This makes me sick to my stomach ....SHAME ON YOU JC PENNY'S

[comfortmd1]

well, whenever we decide to stop china's economic warfare on the united states, letting them buy up all of our assets (along with the muslims in dubai), and having their govt support businesses that produce goods and then sell them for lower than cost.

our industry as a NATION is being destroyed.

[musty2u]

Hey, I think I will order one of these coats for John Edwards' wife to wear at his inaugural party - that is, if the flamer gets his post. Ah, elected post. Um, you know what I mean.

[johnjulian1]

Listen, people:

Go and look a the video of the skinning of the raccoon dogs in China! The little animals are simply slammed onto the ground. It does not kill most of them. Then their legs are cut off (while they are aliveL). Then they are skinned (while they are alive!)

Then watch the head of the little animal who has his legs cut off and has been skinned alive and he raises his bloody skinned head, opens his mouth, cries, and opens and closes his eyes.

There is NO JUSTIFICATION OF ANY KIND for that! NONE!

[us_infidel]

most of the folks who militantly oppose the killing of animals would have no problems if they were made from human beings.....pretty ironic.

That being said, there's no good reason for animals to be used as clothing (unless you're a GEICO caveman.) If you're not eating them, and if they aren't bothering you or your family/crops/farm animals, then they should be left alone - IMO.