Raccoon dog in Ranua, Finland
Peter Lilja / Getty Images
It's a trend that provokes mockery, yet persists due to its
unrivaled comfort. But now "Ugg boots" — or more specifically, knockoffs
of the classic UGG Australia brand — are coming under fire for the
inhumane treatment of Chinese raccoon dogs.
If you're wondering what raccoon dogs (otherwise known as Asiatic
raccoons) have to do with boots that are traditionally fashioned from
Australian sheepskin, that's exactly the point. According to an
investigation by the Humane Society International,
many brands of "imitation" Ugg boots have instead been using raccoon
dogs' fur — which is notoriously acquired under horrendous circumstances
— and falsely labeling it as Australian sheepskin.
In a graphic video that was obtained by the Swiss Animal Protection,
workers at a Chinese fur farm are shown brutally abusing raccoon dogs —
knocking them to the ground and holding them down with their boots,
skinning them alive and throwing their bloody bodies into a pile, where
they're left to experience a slow and painful death.
The shocking video has animal rights advocates around the world
calling for a ban on imported products that contain the fur. In
Australia and the European Union, where this revelation has sparked a
debate on international trade, it is illegal to import products that
contain fur from domestic dogs and cats, as well as from animals that
are endangered. But because the Asiatic raccoon doesn't fall into these
categories — the species is related to foxes, jackals and domestic dogs,
but not raccoons — it is technically not forbidden.
Imports of domestic dog and cat fur are also banned in the U.S., but
it's possible that these brands of boots have infiltrated American
markets as well. This isn't the first time that raccoon dog fur has been
found in clothing stateside. In fact, a 2008 Humane Society report
found that 70% of falsely advertised or mislabeled fur-trimmed jackets
contained fur from the raccoon dog, despite knowledge of the inhumane
treatment of the animals.
To safeguard against this type of consumer misinformation, Congress passed The Truth in Fur Labeling Act
in 2010, which requires all garments made with fur to be labeled with
the correct species of animal. The legislation took effect in March
2011, and has so far been hailed by animal rights advocates.
As for the boots, it can be difficult to distinguish between what is
authentically Australian and what isn't. Lena McDonald, a representative
of UGG Australia, told Australia's News.com.au
that the use of raccoon dog fur by other brands — and she speculates
that approximately 30 to 40 unrelated products use the name "Ugg" — are
disgracing the industry as a whole, and maintained that UGG Australia
only uses materials from its local tannery.
"As far as I can see many of these boots are not made in Australia at
all, yet they have the word Australia and Ugg on them," McDonald said.
"Labeling laws in Australia are a little bit gray, and we have seen
companies cutting off tags saying 'made in China' and the Australian
made tag put on it."
While it doesn't appear that Australia will crack down on this
situation anytime soon, animal advocates are encouraging consumers to
take matters into their own hands and be aware of the products they're
purchasing. Because whether the boots are fashionable or a faux pas,
animal abuse is never in style.
