From Shannon - 1 Feb 2007

I have tried relentlessly to email JC Penney regarding their  merchandise with fur. They assure me they only deal with suppliers that certify in writing that the fur was obtained from sources committed to humane treatment of animals.

Here is one paragraph from the note I received from their customer relations department:

"Please allow us to clarify a few points about our merchandise. First, the fur trim on coats described in recent news stories does not come from the animal that we commonly know as a dog. It comes from a completely different animal known as the Asiatic Raccoon. It is as distinct from the dog as the fox, which is also part of the same animal family. Found throughout Asia and Europe, this animal is named for its thick fur and markings that are very similar to those of raccoon. Asiatic Raccoon is on the federal government's list of fur that is legal to sell in the United States."

Ignorance on their part and thinking that I wouldn't do my research to verify their statements.

Sincerely,

Shannon

Dear Shannon:

Thank you for writing, and for the information.

From all we can determine, the animal that JC Penney is describing is in fact the raccoon dog that we have presented in our animal exploitation section. Also, the cruelty displayed in the video and photos seems to be typical of Chinese fur operations. And, we have never heard of or seen any fur operation that was “humane”.

In the Love of the Lord,

Frank and Mary 

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