114 STAT. 2164
PUBLIC LAW 106-476—NOV. 9, 2000
(6) The methods of housing, transporting, and slaughtering
dogs and cats for fur production are generally unregulated
and inhumane.
(7) The trade of dog and cat fur products is ethically and
aesthetically abhorrent to United States citizens. Consumers
in the United States have a right to know if products offered
for sale contain dog or cat fur and to ensure that they are
not unwitting participants in this gruesome trade.
(8) Persons who engage in the sale of dog or cat fur products, including the fraudulent trade practices identified above,
gain an unfair competitive adveuitage over persons who engage
in legitimate trade in apparel, toys, and other products, and
derive an unfair benefit from consumers who buy their products.
(9) The imposition of a ban on the sale, manufacture,
offer for sale, transportation, and distribution of dog and cat
fur products, regardless of their source, is consistent with the
international obligations of the United States because it applies
equally to domestic and foreign producers and avoids any
discrimination among foreign sources of competing products.
Such a ban is also consistent with provisions of international
agreements to which the United States is a party that expressly
allow for measures designed to protect the health and welfare
of animals and to enjoin the use of deceptive trade practices
in international or domestic commerce.
(b) PURPOSES. —The purposes of this chapter are to—
(1) prohibit imports, exports, sale, manufacture, offer for
sale, transportation, and distribution in the United States of
dog and cat fur products, in order to ensure that United States
market demand does not provide an incentive to slaughter
dogs or cats for their fur;
(2) require accurate labeling of fur species so that consumers in the United States can make informed choices and
ensure that they are not unwitting contributors to this gruesome trade; and
(3) ensure that the customs laws of the United States
are not undermined by illicit international traffic in dog and
cat fur products.
SEC. 1443. PROHIBITION ON IMPORTATION OF PRODUCTS MADE WITH
DOG OR CAT FUR.
(a) IN GENERAL.— Title III of the Tariff Act of 1930 is amended
by inserting after section 307 the following new section:
19 USC 1308.
"SEC. 308. PROHIBITION ON IMPORTATION OF DOG AND CAT FUR
PRODUCTS.
"(a) DEFINITIONS. —In this section:
"(1) CAT FUR. —The term 'cat fiir' means the pelt or skin
of any animal of the species Felis catus.
"(2) INTERSTATE COMMERCE.—The term 'interstate commerce' means the transportation for sale, trade, or use between
any State, territory, or possession of the United States, or
the District of Columbia, and any place outside thereof.
"(3) CUSTOMS LAWS.—The term 'customs laws of the United
States' means any other law or regulation enforced or administered by the United States Customs Service.
"(4) DESIGNATED AUTHORITY. —The term 'designated
authority means the Secretary of the Treasury, with respect
to the prohibitions under subsection (b)(1)(A), and the President
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