Zurich Animal Protection outraged: Federal authorities cover up torture furs

On April 1, the new Fur Declaration Ordinance (PDV) comes into force, with a transitional period until the end of August.

Labels bearing the inscription «Real fur» will bring greater transparency in future. At the same time, however, the designation «Origin unknown» will also be permitted — an absolute no-go! Because furs of unknown origin are guaranteed to come from production involving animal cruelty and must be labelled as such, demands Zurich Animal Protection.

Nadja Brodmann from Zurich Animal Protection welcomes the new requirement that all real furs must be labelled as such in future: «From September 1, we will finally have clarity in stores about what is real and what is not — a clear improvement!» However, this cause for celebration is overshadowed by a serious deterioration: the designation «Origin unknown» will in future also permit the sale of furs whose place of production lies entirely in the dark. «This would be unthinkable with food», says Nadja Brodmann angrily. Fur animals are apparently considered by the federal authorities to be less worthy of protection than farm animals! She demands: «Products of unknown origin should be banned, just as they are in the food sector!»

A change for the worse regarding method of production

If the origin of the furs is unknown, then the method of production is even more so. «In this case, the worst kind of cage farming or agonising trap hunting must be assumed», says Nadja Brodmann, head of the campaign «real fur – real cruelty». In Zurich Animal Protection’s statement, she demanded that furs of unknown production method be labelled «Most likely originates from trap hunting not permitted in Switzerland or in particular from cage farming with wire mesh floors.» Instead, the new wording need only state: «Method of acquisition unknown – may originate from a form of hunting or husbandry not permitted in Switzerland.» This simplification means that the most likely methods of acquisition — namely trap hunting and cage farming — are no longer mentioned, thereby concealing animal cruelty even more than before!

The federal government opens the floodgates to imports of suffering

Nadja Brodmann is disappointed by the Federal Council. She would have liked to see a significant tightening of all declaration requirements. The legally permissible terms «origin or method of acquisition unknown» create new loopholes for the trade and sale of fur products obtained through animal cruelty. The most agonising forms of cage farming and the most brutal killing methods still do not have to be disclosed. But Brodmann remains defiant: «We at Zürcher Tierschutz will redouble our efforts to push for an import ban. That is the only way to put a lasting stop to the cruel exploitation of fur animals.»