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China dog and cat fur farms, and McCartney boycott
DawnWatch: China dog and cat fur farms, and McCartney boycott, in New York Times 11/29/05
A piece in the "Arts, Briefly" section of the Tuesday, November 29, New York Times, tells us that Paul McCartney will be boycotting China:
"McCartney to Avoid China
After viewing surreptitiously filmed images of dogs and cats in China being killed for their fur, Paul McCartney said he would never perform there and would boycott the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the BBC reported. The film, shot this summer by an undercover investigator connected to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, shows animals in cages being thrown from a bus, and into boiling water. 'I wouldn't even dream of going over there to play, in the same way I wouldn't go to a country that supported apartheid,' Sir Paul said. 'This is just disgusting. It's just against every rule of humanity. I couldn't go there.' A Chinese official said boycotts were not justified and blamed American and European consumers for buying the fur."
And of course the Chinese officials have a point.
If you have never seen the Chinese dog and cat fur video, please watch it at http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=jcruel_china_dog
It isn't fun to watch, but it would jump-start anybody out of apathy with regard to the fur trade, or away from the idea that wearing fur is a reasonable "personal choice" that animal advocates just happen not to make.
The PETA site also has footage of other fur bearing animals being bashed and stunned, but skinned while still conscious and struggling, at http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=fur_farm
And there is loads of information at http://www.furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms, including:
"China supplies more than half of the finished fur garments imported for sale in the United States. Even if a fur garment's label says it was made in a European country, the animals were likely raised and slaughtered elsewhere—possibly on an unregulated Chinese fur farm."
McCartney's stance and the Times piece on it provide a great opportunity for letters to the editor against fur as fashion. The New York Times takes letters at letters [at] nytimes.com The wealth of fur ads in your local paper can also be used as a jump-off point for a letter to the editor, in which you might mention the horrendous footage you and McCartney have seen and the large percentage of fur that comes from China.
Don't hesitate to ask me for help if you have any trouble finding the correct address for a letter to your editor. And I am always happy to edit letters.
Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Shorter letters are more likely to be published.
(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. If you forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts, please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.)
"McCartney to Avoid China
After viewing surreptitiously filmed images of dogs and cats in China being killed for their fur, Paul McCartney said he would never perform there and would boycott the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the BBC reported. The film, shot this summer by an undercover investigator connected to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, shows animals in cages being thrown from a bus, and into boiling water. 'I wouldn't even dream of going over there to play, in the same way I wouldn't go to a country that supported apartheid,' Sir Paul said. 'This is just disgusting. It's just against every rule of humanity. I couldn't go there.' A Chinese official said boycotts were not justified and blamed American and European consumers for buying the fur."
And of course the Chinese officials have a point.
If you have never seen the Chinese dog and cat fur video, please watch it at http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=jcruel_china_dog
It isn't fun to watch, but it would jump-start anybody out of apathy with regard to the fur trade, or away from the idea that wearing fur is a reasonable "personal choice" that animal advocates just happen not to make.
The PETA site also has footage of other fur bearing animals being bashed and stunned, but skinned while still conscious and struggling, at http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=fur_farm
And there is loads of information at http://www.furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms, including:
"China supplies more than half of the finished fur garments imported for sale in the United States. Even if a fur garment's label says it was made in a European country, the animals were likely raised and slaughtered elsewhere—possibly on an unregulated Chinese fur farm."
McCartney's stance and the Times piece on it provide a great opportunity for letters to the editor against fur as fashion. The New York Times takes letters at letters [at] nytimes.com The wealth of fur ads in your local paper can also be used as a jump-off point for a letter to the editor, in which you might mention the horrendous footage you and McCartney have seen and the large percentage of fur that comes from China.
Don't hesitate to ask me for help if you have any trouble finding the correct address for a letter to your editor. And I am always happy to edit letters.
Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Shorter letters are more likely to be published.
(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. If you forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts, please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.)
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Although I understand the position on dog and cat fur trade, I feel it is unfair to label all dogs and cats in this world as "companion animals". The fact they may be "domesticated" does not make them "pets", only in our narrow, self-righteous, Western superiority.
Why can't dogs and cats be raised for meat and skin, like cattle? As I recall cows are Gods to the Hindus in many parts of this world, including Hindus in America and UK - so how do we rationalize our slaughtering of other people's God, but not other's slaughtering of dogs and cats that may not be "companion animal" to them?
If it is the slaughtering practice one objects to, please focus on that. The argument that they are all "companion animals/furry cute loved beings" im my opinion is a dishonest argument that not only obfuscate the real issue, but such emotional appeal also unnecessarily foster mistaken stereotype, gross generalization of other's society and culture.
Univerally, horses are noble animals who labor and toil as equal of men. Yet America and Britian industriously slaughter horses and export horse meat to Europe to satisfy European's ritualistic consumption originated from the demonic Pagan religion. In my opinion this is a striking comparison to our condemnation of others exporting dog and cat fur - at our demand and thirst for such products.
Regards,
Beyond that, it is highly inefficient to raise carnivorous animals as a source of protein. It would be more efficient to eat the food that it takes to create one pound of dog. It's as stupid as feeding chickens to alligators to produce alligator tail.
Albeit it is an obligation for us to eliminate the animal abusion and achieve a equalization between human and animal.:-) We should not take such ultra action. Everyone prefer cloth made of fur than artificial leather. Just like we can not critize the brutalness of a butcher in the same time of eating a beef.
All of us should change our clothing custom or eating custom.
Beatles' music should bring peace and other good thoughts to the world. McCartney should not childishly boycott Olympic Game in Beijing which is a symbol of the peace and comity of all the human kind.
Have you really looked at the numbers? Take any PETA figure that caused you to believe it is "routine", then divide it by China's population: 1,240,000,000.
You'll invariably end up with some tiny fraction of a percent. Tell me, is that representative of China as a whole?
Tell me, how does demonizing 1.24 billion people help the animals in China? If cruelty and suffering is the point, how is "companion animal" even an issue?
Why not advocate humane farming and slaughtering practice for farmed dog and cat? Banning the trade only drives it underground and make the suffering worse.
Perhaps you can tell me weither PETA and HSUS ever disclose to the public what their dog/cat figures means in relation to China's 1.24 billion population.
Can you show me where does PETA make it clear that even if 2 million dogs are all skinned alive (something they can't back up), as the very worst case where each dog is skinned alive by a different person, it is still a tiny fraction of a percent?
2 million / 1.24 billion = 0.0016129 rounded to the millionth precision, according to my calculator.
Now, if you'll compare above with our tonnage figures of chicken/beef, or veal/foie gras production in relation to our population.
Does such percentage represent America, or China as a whole? But then again PETA and HSUS don't think the point is about comparing percentages so the public can get a real sense of the situation, right?
Considering the fact my worse case calculation is very likely not the situation in China, the real percentage drops even lower.
But from what I've read, PETA is more than happy to manipulate the public with statements like "2 million dogs", "companion animal", and the insinuation that such is the norm in China.
I feel such emotional appeal and false perception not only obfuscate the issue of improving farming practice in China, they also foster bigotry and rekindle the racism that was once rampant (and have not extinguished) in our society.
Do you feel it is fair to promote the idea that all dogs and cats in this world are "companion animal", therefor should not be eaten by anyone, simply because we find it repulsive? I feel is it very irresponsible for large organization like PETA and HSUS to appeal to our society's cultural intolerance regarding what is not okay to eat, in order to further their agenda.
FidelityCorporateAffairs [at] fmr.com
800-343-3548
Fidelity Investment:
I am disappointed to find out Fidelity have decided to affiliate with Paul McCartney, and will reconsider doing business with you. As you may know, last year Mr. McCartney announced his decision to boycott China, at the urgent of animal rights groups such as PETA and HSUS.
While I agree animals should be treated humanely by all, especially food animals. What I can not agree is the anti-China message Mr. McCartney and these animal rights activists have employed to further their agenda.
By appealing to our society's cultural intolerance regarding what animal is not okay to eat with misleading figures and emotional appeals such as "companion animal", aimed to project a false perception of China and its 1.24 billion citizens, not only obfuscate the real issue of advocating humane farming practice, this position also unnecessarily fosters bigotry against other's society and culture, and could rekindle the racism that was once rampant in our country.
America has the right to love our pets, but the issue of what animal to eat is a complex one, especially when crossing the cultural divide. I hope Fidelity will consider this issue carefully, and evaluate its support for insensitive speech and actions.
Sincerely,
The reason Paul Mcartney is saying about a boycott of Chinese goods and the Olympics is because the only way to stop this evil trade is to make sure it does not make any money. Yes it is a big ask to take on China but hell what are those animals going through everyday in the name of money and greed. I will do my bit to try and help those poor animals.
China is a rich country and the only way to stop this barbaric trade is to hit them where it hurts , money.
How any one can argue about this or have any doubt about it , i don't know. We have all seen the pictures and it made me physically sick , angry and hurt. To think on top of all other wrong doings in this world this is going on daily and certain pop stars are buying it and not giving a dam.
Of course it is easier to ignore it or pretend it is not happening but I would sooner try to do something about it no matter how small the impact may be.
Put your self in boiling water or imagine you standing there whilst a person is skinned knowing you are next and hearing the screaming. God help these poor animals no matter what type of animal you are wild or domestic. They feel pain just like us.
who killed millions of their own babies in the name of Lust??
who annihilated Civilization in the name of God??
who lanced babies in the name of God??
who invaded other countries in the name of Greed??
isn't that ironic that one animal believe they are better than other animal???
In one of the websites, I witnessed a man in China pulling out a German Shepherd out of a bag and the dog happy to see him, tail wagging and the man tying him up against a fence with a wire noose and begin stabbing him under the groin and skinning him alive. You tell me is this nice, is this justified. Please understand that this is not a human act this is an act of inhuman people who don't deserve pity or help...
BEING IN THE CORRUPT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS MONEY!!! THE BIG CORPERATIONS WANT MORE MONEY!! STOP BUYING MADE IN CHINA OR AT LEAST CUT BACK.
Our pet Rosie, a 3 year old Chihuahua was poisoned from Chinese made Bestro's Jerky Chicken Strips #77849 00006 1 We have this contaminated bag. We have three Chihuahuas and one of them, Rosie, died. She started with vomiting and dehydration (she was drinking lots of water) and then we were told she may either have an obstruction or have been poisioned. Since our dogs are inside dogs and we are with them at all times outside we thought it was an obstruction. Finally the doctor at Elwood Animal Clinic in Glendora, California said he was almost positive it was some kind of poisoning. They were going to scope her but before that could happen she died July 21, at VCA in Fountain Valley, California.
We gave our dogs Waggin train and Bestro's Jerky Chicken Strips. Our Sweet Rosie (our chihuahua that passed) loved them and and she would eat all the treats we put down for the other dogs too. Up until today we never had any idea what happened but now with Wal Mart pulling this quietly from their shelves. (I brought my treats at Wal Mart, Glendora, California) I truly believe that is why she died. Rosie wants all dog owners to be aware of this and a Total Recall of this chinese junk pet treats so other puppies don't slowly suffer is she did. How many other puppies must die before a total recall is called? We are totally heartbroken and will never forget Our Sweet Gypsy Rose! Since Wal Mart had this problem before, why didn't they pull all that Chinese junk off the first time? Our Rosie will still be alive! Is Wal Mart concerned about people and their Pets or Money? You figured it out.
Gene and Gerri Richards
San Dimas, California
Rosie's website:
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/614878