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Cat & Dog Fur Ban

1st March 2005

Rock the EU Commission

On March 1st 2005, Heather Mills and Rick Wakeman, member of the Rock group ‘Yes” and other key founder members of the campaign, Struan Stevenson MEP and Rick Swain visited Brussels in order to “Rock the Commission” together with MEP Paolo Casaca, head of the Intergroup on Animal Welfare.

Evidence was gathered from all over Europe of this vile trade and was presented to the commission. Many of the items had been disguised and mislabelled by unscrupulous fur traders.

They then demanded that the new European Consumer Affairs Commissioner, Markos Kyprianou bring the entire EU into line and implement the ban across all 27 member states of the European Union.

Once again, Heather’s high profile status drew the television cameras generating more public awareness which resulted in thousands and thousands of more petition signatures.

Addressing the media at the conference Heather said:
I hope you will take this on as your own campaign.
Addressing those who wear fur she commented:
Why aren't they happy in their own skins rather than wearing someone else's?

Struan Stevenson, noting the indisputable evidence in favour of the ban, said, "We have fraud on the consumer and retailer; the toxicity from how the fur is cured; and a legal opinion that shows the EU has the authority to implement a ban. There's no hiding place."

In December 2005, EU Commissioner Markos Kyprianou pledged to ban dog and cat fur. A massive letter-writing campaign and petition drive followed, designed to place maximum pressure on the EU to act quickly.

Wakeman expressed further outrage:
No one in the western world would even think of wearing something made from cat or dog fur if they knew what it was. Consumers and retailers are being duped by being told that these furs are something else. The media should ask itself: 'Would I wear this myself?' I doubt it.
The trade is preposterous and against our values, Casaca said.
This is something to be dealt with at the EU level. We have good legal advice, and without a doubt, Europe can do what it must.