PETA INDIA, at the news conference in Chennai announces that US retailer Liz Claiborne- with annual sales of US$4.8 billion has given PETA US an assurance that it will not use leather from India because of cruelty towards animals for their skin to prepare leather. Another retailer of US- Kenneth cole has also given an assurance to PETA US for not using the leather from India.
Because the Indian government and the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) have significantly broke the promise for taking steps towards the cruelty for animals for animals. PETA INDIA have re-launched a campaign which was put on hold after seeing the video and photo evidence, that tells about an illegal treatment given to animals in the Indian leather trade.
When the PETA US launched the boycott of Indian leather in 2000, the major 40 retailer around the world agreed to boycott the Indian leather. By the decision of those companies Indian leather industry lost an estimated $68 million.
The campaign that was re-launched follows PETA INDIA’S verification of lack of enforcement of animal welfare standards that was promised by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the late Minister of Commerce Murasoli Maran. But unfortunately CLE failed to take significant step to alleviate the immense suffering of animals used for leather.
The coordinator of campaign and legal affair of PETA INDIA- N.G.Jayasimha says “The sufferings of cow and other animal is dreadful, yet our government has done nothing to condense the suffering of even one bullock, while the Indian leather industry supported the unabated torture of animals.”
The seven years investigation by PETA INDIA reveals that Indian animals used for leather are transported in such a poor and crowded condition that they break their bones and most of them often die due to suffocation. Animals are cruelly and illegally mishandled. Even at slaughters houses, animal are slaughtered in full view with each other, which is illegal.
Although it claims to have an animal welfare reform programme, the CLE refuses to initiate any action towards leather businesses from obtaining skins from suppliers which mistreat animals.
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