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Another victory for animal rights group against Indian leather trade

The US-based animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, on Tuesday notched up another victory in its global campaign against leather products from India and China.

The organisation said that as a result of its campaign, several firms have stopped using leather products from the two Asian nations.

"Following international protests, American and European retailers like J Crew, Liz Claiborne, Clarks, Fiorucci and Florsheim have now given PETA agreements to stop using leather from animals killed in India and China," it said in a statement.

PETA said several other stores were considering similar steps. In mid-April three top US retailers had announced a ban on Indian leather products.

"The companies made their decision after watching PETA's video documentation showing Indian cows and buffaloes denied water, beaten, badly injured and suffocated in overloaded lorries en route to slaughter houses," the group said.

PETA alleged the leather industries in India and China are, perhaps, the most cruel in the world.

Last week Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama joined protests against the Indian leather trade, by writing to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee asking him to enforce existing laws designed to protect cattle.

He said conditions for Indian cattle today were 'too horrific for words'.