A Sky News investigation has uncovered what appears to be the appalling treatment of animals being killed for their fur in China.

The footage captured terrible conditions in which animals were being kept and also showed animals being skinned while still alive.

China is fast-becoming one of the world's biggest fur exporters.

The authorities tried to prevent the Sky News team keeping the footage because of fears the world will learn what is happening to the animals.

It also comes at a time when fur is making a comeback.

Recent protests by campaigners have targeted fur-wearing celebrities like Jennifer Lopez.

One of the leading voices attempting to ban cat and dog fur imports to the EU from China is campaigner Heather Mills McCartney.

The wife of Sir Paul McCartney, who has said he will not tour in China until there is a change in the fur trade, has been influential in drumming up more support on the issue.

Celebrities including Eddie Murphy, Phil Collins, Elton John, George Michael and Brian Wilson have demanded a ban on the trade.

They are among many to have written to Tony Blair to ask for him to introduce an EU ban on cat and dog fur.

Britain currently holds the presidency for the EU, which has lead to more pressure being applied on Downing Street.

Personally i think this is appalling, i saw a clip on the TV where they were skinning these poor animals alive! Just so some rich b**** can keep warm, i strongly believe the fur belongs on the animal.

What are your views?

Dude thats juss nasty. I strongly against animal cruelty and i am against wearing animal fur..if u think about it, its juss as if us humans were werin human skin..now THATS nasty. Their not thinking about these poor defenceless animals, their juss thinking bout the money..money money and more money. Its too right cruel to do such unhumane things to these poor animals and i think that justice should be brought to those black hearted individuals. I think its really really good how famous people are even protesting against fur trade and how they are also doing their best to get a ban for it..good on them!!

Yeah lets have some support for a break for animals.... Jesus, skinned alive,
what are these people thinking. Or are they thinking... or are they animals... If
so, should they be skinned alive....

I saw it on the news. They electrocuted the animals and then skinned them, not all of them died after being electrocuted and were skinned alive. And they all lived in tiny cages and were so depressed.

But these days nothing beats cheap fur, lol

Not only do i own a coon skin hat i also have many many different furs in my home such as a nice blanket that i made from a bear i shot when i was 15 I support the mass and relentless killings of animals.

ooh this infuriates me over and over again, every single time i hear it. how can people be so cruel??!! aaah!

Yes, this is disgusting, but it should not become a fuel for HSUS and PETA and alike. This is a question of culture and personal taste.

My take:

If you've killed the animal for food, it makes no sense not to make use of every part you CAN make use of.

You do Not kill animals for fun or for fur alone, because we do not need to do that. No animal should kill without the need to do so, humans seem to be among the very few animals that are even capable of thinking about it actually.

That said I*m not about to spraypaint your coat or picket your store just because I see you as callous in this way, there'd be WAY too much work in the world if I were to start doing that.

Asian's are the least environmentally friendly group of people in the world.

Take what you need yes...torturing them - well, the China doesn't hold much respect for life no matter what the life is.

i no here is the video of that.
beware its not for the faint hearted
N:\animal rights\dogcatfur_downloads.htm

I think that that is discusting, I have seen it and was appalled. I know that this is slightly off the subject but... I have been on the PETA website and it showed an abbotoir in US where they were killing cattle by slitting their necks, but the cattle lived for about 10-15 mins afterwards with all their jugular hanging out , I was appalled!
I know it is wrong to know of the suffering of all animals for meat, eggs milk etc, but I still eat meat, although I am trying to stop, but after 28 years of eating meat it is not too easy!!