ORPINGTON: Animal activists target ornamental model pets

HARMLESS ornamental pets modelled on famous ships' cats have caused fury among animal rights activists.

Maritime specialist Nauticalia which supplies Orpington home store Ambience, has been inundated with requests for its best-selling line.

But Action for Animals was hopping mad when they found out the lifelike moggies are covered in real rabbit fur.

Half a dozen campaigners, branded "extremists", picketed shops in London last week and are believed to be behind threatening calls to the owner of the High Street shop.

Tony Smith said: "They called from a phone box so they couldn't be traced and said they would come in the night.

"They made all sorts of claims like the cats are made by kids chained to desks but they don't have any proof."

Ambience bought 60 cats just over a month ago and now, with three weeks to go until Christmas, it has almost sold out.

Speaking about the London pickets, Nauticalia's managing director Lynn Lewis fumed: "They made some wild and ridiculous allegations about rabbits being killed for the toy trade.

"Hospitals and nursing homes buy them for their patients because they find them extremely soothing."

The range of three £25 cats come complete with a mini-biography. One is based on Shackleton's feline friend, Mrs Chippy, from the Endurance.

Nauticalia says the rabbits are farmed in northern China for food and the fur is only sold as a by-product.

Action for Animals, which has its registered office in Malaga, Spain, failed to respond to our requests for an interview but campaigner Pauline Dibley, of Animal Defenders, says using rabbit fur could encourage use of other animals.

She added: "In China, it is common practice to skin rabbits alive because it means it is as fresh as possible.

"Quite why anyone would want one, I don't know.

"If they are therapeutic, surely they could use fake fur, or buy a teddy bear."

December 7, 2001 13:03

Richard Simcox