Fur Trade: Interview, Investigation & UK Parliament
I have waited 21 years for this call for an interview
I am not exaggerating when I say that I have waited 21 years to be asked to comment on the issue of using fur and it’s animal by-products (ABP) in the food chain and the impact on our global health. Why was this call so important and so long awaited? Because it came from a Chinese media source. The call, with a journalist from The Paper – an online digital newspaper in China – was following their recent investigation that delved into the unsavoury business on how the meat from animals in the fur industry, was being repurposed for human consumption through the illegal black market in China. It revealed the widespread commercialisation of ‘fake meats’, such as fox or raccoon dog meat being tenderised by chemicals and then sold to restaurants and food stalls as beef, mutton or rabbit.
Credit: Andrew Skowron / We Animals
I was thrilled to be interviewed and quoted as part of the investigation. I am often quoted in the media so why was this interview so important to me? The answer is because a new generation of young reporters in China are showing a real interest in the issue of animal health and demonstrating empathy towards animals and an understanding that animal health affects human health. Most encouragingly, the reporters not only initiated the undercover investigation themselves, but also included an NGO’s comments in their report. This is very common in developed countries, but it is certainly is a huge leap for a country like China. I started work on the global fur trade and China’s position, over 20 years ago, and in 2019 ACTAsia published its first research report on consumer attitudes towards fur. ACTAsia’s Fur Consumer Surveys are the first and most comprehensive studies in China on the fur issue.
For me, the wait has been a long one, but it demonstrates that Chinese societies are starting to digest these issues and tackle them. It is proof that that societal change and behavioural change takes time – but it can happen.
ACTAsia’s Fur Report
Conversation with UK MP Ruth Jones
As well as this momentous interview – more to come on this later – I also had a conversation this week with the UK Member of Parliament, Ruth Jones, regarding her Private Members Bill to prohibit the import and sale of fur in the UK. Our conversation was ahead of the second reading of the bill in Parliament – which is now on 11th July. The fact that this bill has already received a first reading is a fantastic achievement.
It was a pleasure to speak to Ruth who is a huge supporter of the fur free movement. She has attracted a lot of media coverage in the UK press, in favour of her bill and she often uses the hashtag #furfreebritain.
The UK is a pioneer in the fur free movement, as fur farming was banned in the UK and Wales in 2000 and in 2002 in Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, despite the significant decline of the UK fur industry over the last two decades, in 2024 the UK still imported 539,674 kilograms of fur or fur products at a value of £34.8 million with fur skin imports from China being part of this total. Based on previous estimates, this equates to approximately 1 million animals per year being killed for their fur.
The bill that is being presented to the UK Parliament is a truly emotional moment for me. I have been lobbying for 35 years to ban the global use of fur and the fact that this bill is addressing the damaging impact of fur on global health is truly pioneering. During my conversation with Ruth Jones, I stressed that a fur sale ban in Britain would be hugely significant and it would set a great example for the world that this archaic practice has no place in today’s society.
They look cute, but what are they made from?
The impact of the fur trade in China on the UK and on global health
The fact that this bill is being read in Parliament demonstrates the fantastic traction for the fur free movement in the UK and the widespread awareness of the issues connected with the fur trade. However, this stands in direct contrast to the continued low awareness in China of the issues caused by the fur farming and fur trade. This is one of my biggest concerns.
Coming back to my interview with The Paper, the investigation undertaken by the publication found that the vendors using the leftover fur animal carcasses go to great lengths to mask the origin of the ABP (animal by-products). Vendors braise and grill their fake meats before freezing them to make them even harder to tell apart from meats meant for human consumption. They then sell the frozen meat to restaurants, private buyers and online platforms. Experts warn these meats are extremely dangerous, due to the hormones and drugs used in the breeding of animals for fur, but also due to the pathogens they carry.
Selling the carcasses of animals bred for fur in unhygienic conditions for human consumption is prohibited by Chinese law, but this recent journalistic investigation found that many animal farms around the country continue to sell these meats through the black market. This is hugely alarming, due to the spillover of viruses and disease transmission. Even the human handling of the carcasses poses a risk with the transmission of bacteria.
According to Dr Maas, a leading zoologist in wildlife conservation, if ABP is being used as feed for farm livestock, fur animals or domestic pets, then we are at great risk globally from zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases, are infectious diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa. Zoonoses have been linked to the Covid pandemic and are also responsible for diseases such as SARS, and bird flu. You may recall mad cow disease – BSE – back in the 1980s which is part of the neurodegenerative disease group called TSEs, known as prion diseases. TME disease, which is found in farmed mink, is also in the group of TSEs which are inevitably fatal neurodegenerative diseases. This is why so many countries ban the use of fur animal carcasses as animal by-products (ABP) for animal feed.
The importance of the Chinese investigation on the world stage
The fur trade in the UK is still linked with China which means that, despite the geographical distance, UK citizens are also at risk, due to the global zoonotic disease concerns caused by the use of ABP from skinned fur animals. Animal health directly impacts human health and the sooner that this message is understood globally, the sooner we can all adopt a ‘One Health’ approach. One Health is a collaborative, multi-sector approach that recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health, aiming to optimise health outcomes for all. It stresses that the health of people, animals and the environment is inextricably linked, requiring a coordinated effort to address complex health challenges.
Why Education is the Answer
I am pleased that the request for the interview from a Chinese based media organisation finally came, after so many years lobbying and raising awareness about the dangers of fur farming. It is testament to the fact that education is the linchpin for change for good.
I am so excited that the second reading of the bill to ban the import and sale of real fur in the UK Parliament is now due on 11th July. I hope that ACTAsia’s pioneering work will be called upon for more interviews in the very near future.
You can support this bill by contacting UK Defra Secretary of State, Steve Reed MP, to let him know that you support a ban on the import and sale of fur. If you are in the UK, you can write to your local MP to ask that they attend Ruth Jones’ second reading of the bill on 11th July and vote in favour of it.
Now is the time to raise our voices in support.
You can download an AI translated version of ‘The Paper’ article here
If you’re inspired by our vision and wish to make a positive change, please consider donating to ACTAsia. Your contribution directly fuels our efforts to educate others about the importance of animal welfare across Asia. Every donation counts, no matter the size. Help us further our cause and ensure a kinder future for animals, people, and our planet.
Pei Su is a Chinese sociologist and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ACTAsia, an international NGO established in 2006. She is a strong advocate of education and training as the main vehicle for long term sustainability, aiming to inspire people to understand and appreciate the world we share, and to take responsibility for the protection and preservation of its inhabitants and resources.
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