Raccoon dog fur found in Sean John gear

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno
      P. Diddy’s Sean John clothing line has always got a pass from animal rights groups because the line has always claimed that it uses fake (faux) fur in its clothing. But the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) released the results of a mass spectrometry test that found what Sean John claimed was an imitation rabbit fur collar on one of its Sean John Hooded Snorkel Jackets was actually fur from the canine species raccoon dog.

      "First these jackets were falsely advertised as faux fur, and then it turned out that the fur came from a type of dog," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "This is an industry-wide problem, and our investigation demonstrates that retailers and designers aren’t paying close enough attention to composition of the fur trim they are selling. It’s especially problematic when the fur is sourced from China where domestic dogs and cats and raccoon dogs are killed in gruesome ways, even skinned alive. The safest course of action is for Sean Combs and other designers and retailers to stop using fur trim. That single act would solve the problems we have uncovered."

      Macy’s has already pulled the jacket from all of its stores and the HSUS is urging all other retailers to do the same. The Fur Products Labeling Act prohibits the advertising or sale of any fur product that is falsely or misleadingly labeled, and authorizes the Federal Trade Commission to seek criminal penalties, impose fines of up to $5,000 per violation and to seize mislabeled products.