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Dear
Friends
A group of five Members of the European
Parliament have presented a Written
Declaration calling for an EU-wide ban
on the import, production and sale of dog and
cat fur.
If a majority of the MEPs (i.e. 314 of 626)
sign this Declaration it will automatically be
adopted. The closing date for this is 22nd
December 2003. Should the signatures number less
than 314, the matter will be
dropped.
Although Commissioner Mr David Byrne has
made it clear that he has no interest in this
issue, this is an opportunity for the MEPs to ban
this heart-rending trade completely throughout the
EU regardless of Mr
Byrne.
We ask all EU citizens to contact ALL
their MEPs as a matter of urgency to solicit their
support for this Declaration. Ask them to sign it,
and to persuade their peers to do the same. A
sample e-mail is supplied below, but please write
an original if possible. The available e-mail
addresses for the British MEPs
are;
Click on the language tab at the top right
of the screen then click on your national
flag.
Non-EU citizens should write to
Commissioners Byrne, Bolkestein and Lamy to
demonstrate world opinion on this
issue. Their addresses
are;
Sample letter for EU
citizens;
Dear
MEP,
As your constituent, I strongly
encourage you to sign the Written Declaration in
the European Parliament that calls for a ban on
the import,export, sale and production of cat and
dog furs and skins in Europe. If you have already
signed this declaration, I thank you. If not you
may add your signature, before the December 22,
2003 deadline, at these locations:
Strasbourg: by the Hemicycle (8.30-20.00
hrs)
Brussels: Room PHS 02A19 (8.30-18.00
hrs)
European markets have seen a rise in items
deceptively called Gae-wolf, Sobaki, Asian Jackal,
Wildcat, Goyangi and Katzenfelle. I find it
increasingly difficult to shop, knowing that
merchants sell unmarked, dyed and misleadingly
labeled boots, coats, linings, toys and
homeopathic remedies. A ban on cat/dog furs and
skins would restore consumer confidence in our
manufacturers and retailers.
I
respectfully ask you to sign the Written
Declaration by December 22nd to solidify the
European Parliament's position and ensure a
response from the European Commission. I would
also ask you to persuade your peers to do the
same. I thank you in advance for helping to
prohibit the import/export, sale and production of
cat and dog furs and skins in Europe.
Sincerely,
Your
name, address and country.
Sample letter for Non-EU
citizens;
Dear
Commissioner
Every year over two million dogs and cats
face death at the hands of the Asian fur and skin
trade. Animals are slaughtered to decorate a
sweater, line a coat or become a trinket. This is
the ultimate betrayal for creatures who are
instinctively trustworthy and devoted companions
to people. I
understand a Written Declaration in the European
Parliament, currently awaiting review, calls for a
ban on the import, export, sale and production of
cat and dog furs and skins in Europe. Since the
United States enacted a similar ban in 2000,
European markets have seen a rise in items
deceptively called Gae-wolf, Sobaki, Asian Jackal,
Wildcat, Goyangi and Katzenfelle.
I am
hesitant to shop in European stores, knowing that
merchants sell unmarked, dyed and misleadingly
labeled boots, coats, linings, toys and
homeopathic remedies. This not only constitutes
consumer fraud, but also erodes global confidence
in European manufacturers and retailers. The
European Commission should not enable this vile
industry.
You are
likely familiar with the many videos, photos and
affidavits that verify inhumane conditions for
domestic animals in the Asian fur/skin trade.
Forensic tests reveal an increase in European
merchandise derived from cats and dogs. The
European Parliament largely supports restrictions
to eliminate these products. In fact, on November
27, 2002, nine Ministers of Agriculture from
Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, UK, Greece,
Austria, The Netherlands and Denmark asked the
European Commission to implement a ban on cat/dog
furs and skins.
I
respectfully ask for your prompt review and
passage of a regulation to prohibit the
import/export, sale and production of cat and dog
furs and skins in Europe. Thank you for accepting
my comments on this matter of international
concern.
Thank
you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Your
name, address and country.
Our thanks to the Kinship Circle for
writing the above sample
letters.
Our continued thanks to all of you for your
support and for caring enough to try to make a
difference.
From all the team at
ITD
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