Cats and dogs are not farmed for their fur

Question:
 Can anyone tell me if they know about this as I have just found out about this? It is thought that tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of cat and dog skins are traded in Europe each year. Here is a link to the story http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3009537.stm
Answer:
 You have to understand that different culture have different thoughts, beliefs and ideas. Second, many of these countries are poor and underdeveloped - some are almost third-world in many respects. Many people do not want synthetic materials and hoenstly, there are some natural materials that just cannot be accurately reproduced synthetically. And those high end synthetics cannot be afforded by all - go out and price Gortex or that Frog"gear" stuff. And many countries do not have the resources to get these materials to the seriously poor. You have to remember, as a whole, the majority of the humans on this planet do not live in developed nations like the US, UK, etc. They rely on what they can raise or hunt for their needs. Now, dogs and cats are truly viewed as livestock in many countries. Do I agree with it? No, because I was raised in the US. Do I understand it? Yes because I unerstand different cultures and have had the chance to meet and speak with people from all over the globe. You see, here in the US, we eat meat, use the by products for clothing, fertilizers, etc. Not all humans want to be or can be vegetarians, not all animals can live on a vegetarian diet - cats for example are obligate carnivores. Therefore, there is a NEED for a meat industry and I have no probelm if the whole animal is put to use. Now, there are those that this the use of cattle is barbaric because of their religious beliefs. I respect that. My husband lived with a Hindu couple for three months. The husband was raised in the US from the age of six and would eat meat. The wife did not come to the country until she was in her 20's and is a solid vegetarian. She felt eating of any flesh was barbarism. We understood and respected her upbringing and beliefs. Though she never understood ours. (Undertstand that another gave its life for your;s and respect it). In some countries, dogs are vermin. they spread disease, roam in feral and often dangerous packs and are feared. In the US, they are pitied. In some countries, people have some dogs that are prizedpets, yet others that are food/fur animals. In order to understand (whether or not you approve - there is a difference between understanding/accepting and approving) why things are done, you really have to know the cultures, back grounds, religions, economics, etc of a region.
Answer:
 Why is this still been done when men has no need for fur any more? Not in Europe. Or am I the only one to feel this way about this kind of thing, taking fur form animals is wrong, sometimes I just feel bewilder about mankind and all the things that we do for no reason.