Dog-fur coats make comeback at J.C. Penney

[peejay 327]

Dog-fur coats make comeback at J.C. Penney

By DAVID KOENIG

Associated Press

DALLAS — J.C. Penney Co. removed some fur-trimmed coats from its racks around Christmas after animal-rights activists objected that the fur came from wild dogs in China.

Last week, the department-store company put the coats back on the racks — but only after directing employees to use marker pens to blot out the line on the label that identified the trim as raccoon fur.

The fur-collared leather coats were sold under the house brands St. John's Bay and a.n.a., and by this week they were marked down at a Penney's in Dallas from the original $349.99 to $74.99. About two dozen remained.

"We sold a lot of them during Christmas," said a saleswoman at a Penney store in North Carolina who spoke on condition of anonymity because she feared losing her job. "I hope people who bought those coats aren't animal lovers. But I guess if they're wearing fur, they're not."

By putting the coats back on the racks, Penney is charting a different course than rival Macy's, which last month pulled Sean John jackets after they turned out to contain the same fur. Macy's said it has a policy against selling products with dog fur.

Animal-rights groups are using the incident to pressure Penney to drop sales of all real fur, including fox. A few clothiers such as Polo Ralph Lauren and J. Crew have stopped using fur, and designers Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klein have promised to follow suit.

But Penney, with more than 1,000 stores catering to middle-income shoppers, says it has no plans to alter its fashion selections.

"We do sell a few fur-trim items. We will continue to do so," said Darcie Brossart, a spokeswoman for the Plano-based company.

Penney also downplays any link between Lassie and the animal whose fur is used on some of its garments. That animal is often called a raccoon dog because of its full coat and dark patches around the eyes.

"Asiatic raccoon is the species name," Brossart said. "It's on the Federal Trade Commission's list of fur that is legal to sell in the United States. It's not a dog."

Animal-rights advocates counter that although it looks like an oversized, fluffy raccoon and isn't kept as a pet, it is a canine breed — something Penney doesn't dispute while noting that foxes are canines, too.

"They are definitely a member of the dog family," said Kristin Leppert, manager of the anti-fur campaign at The Humane Society of the United States. "What's equally important is that they're getting killed by the millions in the most atrocious way."

Activists from Swiss Animal Protection posing as a documentary film crew say they went to China and photographed raccoon dogs and foxes being killed at large fur-harvesting operations.

The crew's disturbing video — posted on the Internet — shows animals clubbed or slammed on the ground. Some continue writhing, gasping and blinking as they are skinned alive.

Clothing made with raccoon dog fur has turned up at several retailers, according to Leppert of the Humane Society. She said she bought a St. John's Bay coat in Maryland and sent it for analysis at a German laboratory, which said the fur was raccoon dog instead of raccoon.

Penney sent samples to a lab near Dallas, which also confirmed the fur was raccoon dog, Brossart said. The coats were pulled off racks two days before Christmas.

Brossart said company lawyers determined it was legal to sell the coats as long as they didn't claim that the fur came from a particular species. A new order went to stores last week, and the word "raccoon" was blotted out from the labels.

Several Penney employees tipped off People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals about the label-altering, but Penney defended its actions.

"We always knew we were selling real fur," Brossart said, "but we didn't want any customers to think they were wearing raccoon."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4467445.html

[Jenn! 918]

I don't understand why the label-altering is an ethical issue. Raccoon dog vs. raccoon - if someone's going to buy a fur coat are they really gonna care? Fur is fur IMO.

[Fandango 1,440]

I can respect ppl's right to be against fur so long as they don't own any leather

[Jenn! 918]

I can respect ppl's right to be against fur so long as they don't own any leather

That's just it. I hate the hypocrisy.

[Ban Hammer 14,301]

I can respect ppl's right to be against fur so long as they don't own any leather

i've never seen a furry cow.

[Chris-n-Veronica 0]

Dog-fur coats make comeback at J.C. Penney

By DAVID KOENIG

Associated Press

DALLAS — J.C. Penney Co. removed some fur-trimmed coats from its racks around Christmas after animal-rights activists objected that the fur came from wild dogs in China.

Last week, the department-store company put the coats back on the racks — but only after directing employees to use marker pens to blot out the line on the label that identified the trim as raccoon fur.

The fur-collared leather coats were sold under the house brands St. John's Bay and a.n.a., and by this week they were marked down at a Penney's in Dallas from the original $349.99 to $74.99. About two dozen remained.

"We sold a lot of them during Christmas," said a saleswoman at a Penney store in North Carolina who spoke on condition of anonymity because she feared losing her job. "I hope people who bought those coats aren't animal lovers. But I guess if they're wearing fur, they're not."

By putting the coats back on the racks, Penney is charting a different course than rival Macy's, which last month pulled Sean John jackets after they turned out to contain the same fur. Macy's said it has a policy against selling products with dog fur.

Animal-rights groups are using the incident to pressure Penney to drop sales of all real fur, including fox. A few clothiers such as Polo Ralph Lauren and J. Crew have stopped using fur, and designers Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klein have promised to follow suit.

But Penney, with more than 1,000 stores catering to middle-income shoppers, says it has no plans to alter its fashion selections.

"We do sell a few fur-trim items. We will continue to do so," said Darcie Brossart, a spokeswoman for the Plano-based company.

Penney also downplays any link between Lassie and the animal whose fur is used on some of its garments. That animal is often called a raccoon dog because of its full coat and dark patches around the eyes.

"Asiatic raccoon is the species name," Brossart said. "It's on the Federal Trade Commission's list of fur that is legal to sell in the United States. It's not a dog."

Animal-rights advocates counter that although it looks like an oversized, fluffy raccoon and isn't kept as a pet, it is a canine breed — something Penney doesn't dispute while noting that foxes are canines, too.

"They are definitely a member of the dog family," said Kristin Leppert, manager of the anti-fur campaign at The Humane Society of the United States. "What's equally important is that they're getting killed by the millions in the most atrocious way."

Activists from Swiss Animal Protection posing as a documentary film crew say they went to China and photographed raccoon dogs and foxes being killed at large fur-harvesting operations.

The crew's disturbing video — posted on the Internet — shows animals clubbed or slammed on the ground. Some continue writhing, gasping and blinking as they are skinned alive.

Clothing made with raccoon dog fur has turned up at several retailers, according to Leppert of the Humane Society. She said she bought a St. John's Bay coat in Maryland and sent it for analysis at a German laboratory, which said the fur was raccoon dog instead of raccoon.

Penney sent samples to a lab near Dallas, which also confirmed the fur was raccoon dog, Brossart said. The coats were pulled off racks two days before Christmas.

Brossart said company lawyers determined it was legal to sell the coats as long as they didn't claim that the fur came from a particular species. A new order went to stores last week, and the word "raccoon" was blotted out from the labels.

Several Penney employees tipped off People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals about the label-altering, but Penney defended its actions.

"We always knew we were selling real fur," Brossart said, "but we didn't want any customers to think they were wearing raccoon."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4467445.html

Dog ???? Mans best friend ? What's next...Serving up a BK Dog Burger ?

Edited January 13, 2007 by Chris-n-Veronica

[peejay 327]

Dog ???? Mans best friend ? What's next...Serving up a BK Dog Burger ?

Don't laugh...I used to work with a Chinese lady many years ago that told me that dog is frequent table fare in China. A lot of my buddies in the military stationed in the Philippines many years ago told me eating dog is common there too.

So the old pun about "man bites dog" is really true.

[Ban Hammer 14,301]

Dog ???? Mans best friend ? What's next...Serving up a BK Dog Burger ?

the burger with a real bite to it?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Don't laugh...I used to work with a Chinese lady many years ago that told me that dog is frequent table fare in China. A lot of my buddies in the military stationed in the Philippines many years ago told me eating dog is common there too.

So the old pun about "man bites dog" is really true.

Hahahahahha I'm laughing but it's 100 % true.

My brother's wife is Taiwanese. She says Taiwanese tradition holds that "yellow dog taste best." (Thank God she's a vegetarian.)

[Fandango 1,440]

I can respect ppl's right to be against fur so long as they don't own any leather

i've never seen a furry cow.

skin is skin

I can respect ppl's right to be against fur so long as they don't own any leather

That's just it. I hate the hypocrisy.

I once had a friend chastise and nag me for AGES about her being anti-fur and then I was all

'hey nice shoes, they leather?'

her: 'of course!'

me: *blink*

it went down summat like that, lol

PS - she came back with summat about 'the whole cow being used' so it made it 'ok'...yet she was a vegetarian, so to me, that's a load of ####### right there

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I can respect ppl's right to be against fur so long as they don't own any leather

i've never seen a furry cow.

And I also haven't seen any fur-bearing animals without tannable skin.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I can respect ppl's right to be against fur so long as they don't own any leather

i've never seen a furry cow.

skin is skin

I can respect ppl's right to be against fur so long as they don't own any leather

That's just it. I hate the hypocrisy.

I once had a friend chastise and nag me for AGES about her being anti-fur and then I was all

'hey nice shoes, they leather?'

her: 'of course!'

me: *blink*

it went down summat like that, lol

PS - she came back with summat about 'the whole cow being used' so it made it 'ok'...yet she was a vegetarian, so to me, that's a load of ####### right there

Perhaps she could lie to herself claiming "well, they used a cow which died naturally" (yeah, right--while that IS true in India where cattle do indeed grow really old, it doesn't fly here).

But, as jenn stated, those who protest against fur should only be wearing non-wool cloth products (including belt and shoes).

[luvaLimey 0]

those who protest against fur should only be wearing non-wool cloth products (including belt and shoes).

except you don't have to kill a sheep to get wool.

[Ban Hammer 14,301]

I can respect ppl's right to be against fur so long as they don't own any leather

i've never seen a furry cow.

And I also haven't seen any fur-bearing animals without tannable skin.

i've also never heard of anyone cooking a mink either

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Ok