Dog and Cat Fur 'farmed' in Belgium

Disturbing evidence suggesting that cats and dogs are being systematically "farmed" for their fur in Belgium and made into blankets, coats and gloves, was released yesterday.

The evidence, which was gathered by undercover investigators working for the American campaign group Humane Society International, includes videotaped footage of Belgian furriers explaining how the secretive trade operates. One is clearly heard to claim that cats are farmed in Belgium while another says that stray cats and dogs, including lost pets, are rounded up on the streets of Brussels and Ghent and slaughtered for their pelts.

The evidence was presented at the European parliament by a cross-party panel of MEPs. The British Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson held up a rug which he said was made from four golden retrievers, a coat purportedly fashioned from the pelts of 42 alsatian puppies and a figurine of a cat which DNA tests had shown to contain cat fur.

Cat and dog fur farming was known to take place in China and the Far East but until yesterday there was no evidence it took place on EU soil.

MEPs said they were horrified and called for a ban on the sale of such products which remain legal throughout the EU apart from Italy.

They also claimed that in many cases consumers were unaware they were buying dog and cat fur products because they were falsely labelled. Products fashioned from the unfortunate animals' pelts are on sale across Europe.

"It's not only happening in Europe," said Mr Stevenson. "It's happening right under the noses of the EU institutions."