Exotic animal choices in fashion raise eyebrows about ethics

She believes an alligator bag “would increase eyebrows” amongst Australians.

“I might by no means lecture anybody on what they need to put on or what they need to eat, nonetheless there are, I believe, some traces, which as society we’re beginning to resolve it is best to not cross. The instance of the alligator pores and skin purse is considered one of them,” she mentioned.

“If you happen to’re snug with it and the legislation would not inform you you possibly can’t do it, clearly I am not going to inform you you possibly can’t do it. However for those who do cease and suppose it might be that it would not suit your set of values.”

Imports of unique animal items are on the rise in Australia. Surroundings Division figures present there was a 12 per cent improve within the variety of permits issued in 2018-19 in contrast with the yr earlier than.

At the very least 85 per cent of the permits associated to reptile species. A 3rd of the 2150 permits given had been for American alligators.

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“Nearly all permits for reptile species had been related to style gadgets equivalent to purses, sneakers, watch straps and belts,” the division mentioned in its annual report.

In the identical yr, greater than a 3rd of the gadgets seized beneath environmental customs controls had been lizard, crocodile or snake.

Whereas shoppers could possibly be extra certain about leather-based and skins that got here from animals grown in Australia, the place farmers face stringent animal welfare requirements, Ms Ley warned importing items from abroad meant you could not make sure about how the animal had been handled.

Animal rights group Folks for the Moral Therapy of Animals Australia mentioned the outrageous value tags on excessive style baggage and sneakers weren’t as outrageous because the farming practices.

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“There’s tens of 1000’s of {dollars} paid for a dwelling, respiratory, feeling animal – identical to a canine or a cat – to put in tiny little enclosures in putrid water, in darkish sheds, they by no means get sunshine, they by no means get recent air, they by no means get clear water after which they’re hacked aside,” spokeswoman Emily Rice mentioned.

“They have this luxurious label on them however there’s nothing glamorous about it in any respect.”

She additionally warned the poor situations the animals had been stored and slaughtered in led to a excessive illness danger.

“The flooring are slick with blood and water and animals are laying on prime of one another bleeding out – that is how pandemics start,” she mentioned.

In April, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was critical of the conditions in wet markets promoting wildlife, just like the one in Chinese language province Wuhan the place the coronavirus is believed to have originated from.