PRINTER'S NO. 526
No. 27 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, BELL, BOSCOLA, CONTI, COSTA, DENT,
KUKOVICH, LEMMOND, SCHWARTZ AND STOUT, MARCH 5, 1999
REFERRED TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, MARCH 5, 1999
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing Congress to enact legislation prohibiting the
2 importation of products containing dog or cat fur, skin or
3 hair and requiring that imported products be inspected to
4 ensure that they do not contain the fur, skin or hair of dogs
5 and cats.
6 WHEREAS, According to the Humane Society of the United States
7 (HSUS), more than 2 million dogs and cats are killed each year
8 for use in the international fur trade; and
9 WHEREAS, An 18-month investigation spearheaded by HSUS found
10 that dogs and cats are cruelly slaughtered for the manufacture
11 of fur clothing and accessories worldwide; and
12 WHEREAS, The investigation found that dog and cat fur is sold
13 in the United States as hats, gloves, decorative accessories and
14 even toy stuffed animals; and
15 WHEREAS, The investigation, which focused on practices in
16 China, Thailand and the Philippines, found that dogs and cats
17 are kept in horrible conditions and are killed by inhumane means
18 including suffocation, hanging, bludgeoning and clubbing; and
19 WHEREAS, The investigation found that dog and cat fur
1 products are often sold under a pseudonym such as Gae-wolf,
2 Sobaki and Asian jackal for dogs and Wildcat, Goyangi and
3 Katzenfelle for cats; and
4 WHEREAS, United States laws are not effective in regulating
5 the dog and cat fur industry and in many cases do not apply
6 because no labeling law regulates products costing under $150;
7 and
8 WHEREAS, In November 1998, HSUS investigators purchased a
9 fur-trimmed jacket with the trim labeled as "Mongolia dog fur"
10 from a New Jersey outlet of Burlington Coat Factory and DNA
11 tests showed that the trim was fur from a domestic dog;
12 therefore be it
13 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14 memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact
15 legislation prohibiting the importation of products containing
16 dog or cat fur, skin or hair and requiring that imported
17 products be inspected to ensure that they do not contain the
18 fur, skin or hair of dogs and cats; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
20 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
21 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
A26L82DMS/19990S0027R0526 - 2 -