----- Original Message -----
From: Nakagawa Hiroko
To: info@shopparkroyal.com
Cc: animaladvocates@telus.net
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2006 3:25 PM
Subject: Customer Comment regarding merchandise
To the Management of Park Royal Shopping Centre
Jan. 28, 2006
Dear Sir/Madam,
I'm a regular customer of your shopping malls. I also enjoy visiting your
new village area very much.
Everything you have is of high quality, stylish and practical. I'm also
very satisfied with your services.
However, I saw something unusual and a little disconcerting
yesterday(Jan.27) in the south mall.
There was a kiosk near the Bank of Montreal, where the merchant sold mostly
animal figures and ornaments. Among them, I found many products covered
with 'fur', which looked to me too real to be fake. When I questioned the
merchant, he answered it as just 'polyester'.
However I have reason to be suspicious.
People, especially animal lovers are talking a lot lately about dog and cat
fur issues. Millions of domestic animals(needless to say about wild
animals) are being slaughtered and skinned annually in China and in some
other countries for fur.
Then the pelts are used for various products such as clothes, rugs, toys
for pets (ironic, but true), and animal figurines and ornaments.
There are no regulations for labeling, so the products can be presented as
wild animal fur or just as faux fur. There is no inspection at the border
either for importing them, and here in Vancouver, an international port
city, the false fur products kept showing up everywhere, many of which are
suspected to be dog and cat fur.
I've already heard about the malls and stores which carried such kind of
merchandise in other municipalities. I've also heard of the suspicious cat
ornaments which strangely looked real, covered with very cat-like fur.
But to find the very products of such description on a vendor's table in
Park Royal Shopping Mall was a surprise, the last thing on my mind.
I don't want to be too fussy or too inquisitive, but what I saw there
raised my alarm.
My wish for shopping at Park Royal, is always to be able to roam free, with
no worry of encountering fur products, which reminds me of animal's
suffering and cruel methods of killing. Please go fur-free and please be
mindful of dog and cat fur disguised under false labels in future.
Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
Hiroko Nakagawa