Dog-fur coats recalled
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December 15, 1998: 5:58 p.m. ET
Burlington Coat Factory says it was misled by garment supplier
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Burlington Coat Factory is recalling an entire line of men's jackets after discovering they were lined with dog fur.
A company spokeswoman, Nancy Shrader, told CNN Tuesday that Burlington Coat Factory (BCF) believed the fur was from coyotes when it bought 400 coats from a vendor.
After learning from the Humane Society that the fur had come from dogs, Shrader said, the jackets were immediately pulled.
"It is not our policy to sell products with fur from domesticated animals," she said. "We find it repugnant."
Chinese Embassy spokesman Yu Suning said that while "it is natural for people to buy and sell cats and dogs in local markets. . . . The Chinese people do not have the tradition of using cats and dogs as materials for (the) fur industry."
The Embassy added that the Humane Society accusation "is not in conformity with the real situation."
One hundred of the jackets were sold in the chain's 250 nationwide stores, Shrader said. Burlington Coat Factory is offering a refund or credit for anyone who purchased the jacket.
Shrader did not identify the vendor, but an Associated Press report said the vendor was from Asia and that the dog fur came from animals slaughtered in China.
The Humane Society of the United States said its investigators bought a men's fur-trimmed coat labeled "Mongolia dog fur" from a Burlington Coat Factory outlet in New Jersey. A DNA test on the fur trim of the garment tested positive for domestic dog, the society said.
"American consumers are being tricked into purchasing garments made with dog and cat pelts because of misleading labeling practices," Patricia A. Forkan, the Humane Society's executive vice president, said in a statement.
The Humane Society said it conducted an 18-month investigation into the killing of dogs and cats for use in the international fur trade.
The society said at least 2 million dogs and cats are killed each year for their fur. Usually 10 to 12 dogs or 24 cats are killed to make one coat -- more if puppies and kittens are used.
The Fur Information Council of America also condemned the alleged practice.
"The use of dog and cat fur is completely unacceptable and a practice we do not condone," council executive director Carol Wynne said.
"Consumers interested in buying fur should consult only with experienced and reputable furriers who know their product well and who carry properly labeled garments," Wynne added.
At the center of the controversy, shares in Burlington Coat Factory (BCF) closed down 13/16 at 13-1/8.
-- from staff and wire reports
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