China will introduce new regulations aimed at improving the
living conditions of animals raised for the fur industry, a
forestry official announced.
"The State Forestry Administration (SFA) has enacted a series of
regulations on wildlife rearing techniques," said Zhuo Rongsheng,
director of the wildlife and plants protection department of the
SFA, at a press conference on Monday.
Along with the new regulations, the administration is set to
offer training courses for fur-farming factory personnel.
Some fur-farming factories have been found to rear animals in
poor living conditions and their slaughtering and skinning
practices do not meet authorized standards, according to the
SFA.
A probe into the skinning of live raccoons, for instance, found
that the practice was not widespread. Zhuo acknowledged: "Initial
investigations found that (skinning a live animal) is bad for fur
quality and also decreases production efficiency, so it is by no
means the commonly accepted practice."
(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2006)?