The video, made public in 2009, is somehow bound to open an investigation. In Shandong market, China, some pitiless workers take raccoons out of their cages and, after beating them up on their head and hitting them to the ground, to stun them, skin them alive. Animal-rights activists have been watching and video recording everything to present their truth survey. Animal-rights activists have also published those pictures (“A shocking look inside Chinese fur farms”), aiming to inform people about the hidden horrors of the fur industry. Apparently, it is all just a hoax though. In fact, they supposedly paid Chinese workers, on purpose, to achieve such hideous actions that are not part of their work. In other words, animal-rights activists have intentionally made up the whole story.
Debunking
10 years later, the International Fur Federation (IFF) sent over to China a team composed of lawyers and communication consultants to recreate the context of the video: “They undoubtedly found out that it was a hoax”. The team (watch the video here) found two workers from Shandong market, namely Ma Hong She and Su Feng Gang. They told them that two people, holding a video camera, got in touch with them and subsequently convinced them to skin animals alive in return for a money reward. Afterwards, both workers realized they had been unknowingly involved in a video to advertise and promote anti-fur campaign.
Damages
Nevertheless, once they made public the fake scoop, the anti-fur movement found a connection with the public opinion; consequently, they convinced brands and public councils to ban fur leather. “After being hit, over the years, by lots of lies against our industry – remarked Mark Oaten, chief executive officer of IFF – we can bring all this to an end at last. We know for sure, and we can prove it, that an association of animal-rights activists made up a cynical hoax to discredit our business sector”. In addition: “We are going to send a clear warning to the ones who want to hinder consumers’ free choice by making use of evil and dodgy tricks – wrapped up Oaten –: if we identify them, we shall debunk their lies. If they go on that way, we shall sue them for damages”.
