The Swiss newspapers have informed us that the Swiss fur trade has been banned from Jan 1st 2013 but some trade continues. Marc very kindly told me about this important event. It is important because, as I understand it, Switzerland, surprisingly, is the centre of the fur trade in Europe. Worldwide, China is the biggest exporter. The fur trade is banned in the European Union as far as I am aware.
In this post, I am referring to domestic cat pelts. I wrote a post about this years ago. This is another short post. This is a follow up article.
The Swiss newspaper article appears to say that undercover agents ordered some domestic cat pelts from a trader and were charged 70 Swiss francs (76.63 USD) per pelt (not sure if the price is per pelt or per batch). But what was shocking is that some of the skins had bullet or air rifle holes in them. The sellers are, apparently, being charged with criminal activities.
Clearly these cats had been shot. I presume the news article is referring to Swiss or perhaps French cats. The market in cat pelts is partly driven by the belief that they alleviate rheumatism. This has been a long held belief. Apparently the rheumatism market is not big enough on its own to support this gruesome trade.
I am absolutely sure that there is not a iota of scientific evidence to support the rheumatism theory. It is the same sort of belief that keeps the cat market alive in Asia. Human superstition and idiotic, almost medieval beliefs.
I suppose the other reason is the fur is used as a lining to clothes and accessories – usually gloves.
I wonder if the cat and dog fur trade in Switzerland is linked to the eating of domestic cats and dogs amongst some mountain farmers in that country?
I would rather be skinned alive, than seeing any cat meet such a fate. 🙁
How could this possibly be true? I have not been there, so I cannot research it effectively. Marc? This goes way far beyond the rednecks, maybe? Yes it does, if this is true. Who posts –is this any different than the wild cat pelt felonies? If this is true, we need to do something immediately. I am horrified, and I don’t know what to do. Michael? What CAN we DO?
We, you and I, cannot do anything except discuss it as we are. We are doing a little bit of good (I hope) by publishing the story on PoC and therefore spreading the word and so on. The Swiss government is aware of the problem and are tackling it. It is shocking though because it is Switzerland. Marc will comment about it and he may add something to enlighten us. Now, please chill out a bit 😎
I’m just delighted that its banned however there is always a thought in the back of my mind that whenever this happens (with any sort of a ban) depending on demand its usually driven under ground which makes it more difficult to track but at least the message is out there that this is illegal, cruel and unacceptable.
I apologise. I had a senior moment – brain fade – when I wrote the title to this. I thought the year was 2012. I was one year back 😉 Sorry. I have amended it. This is a new law and for now, the present.
I spoke to a few Swiss people when I heard about the eating business and none of them believed it. When I assured them that somewhere somehow there is evidence of this they said ‘oh well it’s probably not Swiss people’. I gave my argument about the familly of farmwers who live in the shadow on a mountainside in Emmental and have never even seen a city being possible suspects for this ‘tradition’ and they all said ‘it’s not possible to have people who haven’t seen the city and who are isolated up a mountain for generations in Switzerland’. I’m not sure where they do this and what the original article – evidence was based on but that is clearly the next place to go with this rather bizarre issue.
It is surprising the cat eating business. I tend to believe it but it is probably very rare.