LETTER: World trade and cruel traps
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.From Ms Agnes D. Bryce
Sir: Danny Penman (10 May) writes of the attempts by the Canadian and US governments to force the European Union to drop its impending ban on the import of furs from animals caught in cruel traps (eg, the leghold trap).
The International Standards Organisation has accepted the recommendation of the European Commission's Scientific Veterinary Committee that a killing trap should bring instantaneous death, and not a lingering, painful one. If, under pressure from the fur associations' lobby group TC191, and the Canadian and US governments waving World Trade Organisation rules in a threatening manner, the ISO capitulates, that must bring into doubt any future decisions made by them.
Doubtless there is a good deal of quid pro quo in world trade, but we must not forget that in this instance the product is not brass nails or widgets, but living animals, which - if the fur trade gets its way - will continue to be subjected to trapping methods bringing painful, lingering deaths that are rightly condemned by the member states.
Yours sincerely,
AGNES D. BRYCE
Glasgow
11 May
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments