Fur
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1994:
The Animal Welfare Institute, the World Society
for the Protection of Animals, and the Nordic Animal
Welfare Council won an upset victory on February 11 at the
International Standards Organization Technical Committee 191
meeting held in Ottawa when the committee voted to delete the
word “humane” from the description of the standards the com-
mittee is developing for submission to the European
Community. If the word “humane” had been used, the effect
might have been to circumvent the EC ban on the import of furs
trapped by inhumane methods, including the leghold trap. The
committee also agreed to admit representatives from the
American SPCA and Humane Society of the U.S.; AWI had
been the only animal protection group included in the trapper-
dominated U.S. delegation. ANIMAL PEOPLE regrets that
this information was inexplicably received nearly two months
after our March issue went to press.
An exhibitor survey conducted by the annual fur
fair held in Frankfort, Germany, on March 17-20 found that
72% expected 1994 sales to be no better than last year’s; 1993
sales were either the worst or second worst of the previous 15
years, depending upon whether one goes the retail fur price
index kept by ANIMAL PEOPLE, or by fur industry figures,
which include revenue from sales of nonfur items.
The Toronto-based advertising firm Mediacom
Inc. has refused to rent Montreal billboards to PETA during the
Montreal fur fair in early May because it claims the ads,
depicting a skinned animal, might promote violence.
Mediacom does significant business with the fur trade. PETA
spokesperson Amy Bertsch said the group would plaster
Montreal with poster versions of the antifur ad instead.
