Importing Pelts into the UK and EU.

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UKTaxidermy's avatar
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Dear All.

For a long time now, I have been observing how difficult it can be to get hold of fur in the UK, and in Europe, that is from outside the EU and that is taxidermy quality. Animals such as foxes and coyotes, which are not restricted, are amazingly difficult to obtain complete and mountable from places such as America. Beautiful garment quality furs are available, but there is a lack of fur traders in the UK, and to a lesser extent Europe, who deal with taxidermy quality pelts.

Because of this, I have been thinking about setting up a fur trading business whose main aim is import taxidermy quality pelts from the US and outside the EU, and then sell them on in the UK and EU. This would all be done legally, so the cost may be slightly higher, but there would be no risk of losing pelts, as all of the paperwork would be in place.

If I am successful the following is a list of species that I would like to regularly import and sell:

Wolf           Canis Lupus (with CITIES)
Coyote           Canis latrans
Beaver           Castor canadensis
Bobcat           Felis rufus (also called Lynx rufus) (with CITIES)
Otter              Lutra canadensis (also called Lontra canadensis) (with CITIES)
Lynx              Lynx canadensis
Marten           Martes americana
Fisher            Martes pennanti
Ermine          Mustela erminea
Musk rat       Ondatra zibethicus
Raccoon       Procyon lotor
Badger         Taxidea taxus

Ranched and Wild red and arctic foxes, in as many colours as I can obtain.


As of this time, I am not aware of what regulations bear pelts are under, however if I can, I would like to add bear to the list.
I would also include domestic animals such as goats, lambs, horses, cows etc and also animals such as elk, moose, bison, nutria etc.

Right now, I am at the research stage of setting up the business, and therefore I am looking for some feedback. If you could take the time to answer the following questions, that would be great.

1. If there was a company like the one I am describing, would you purchase from it?
2. Is the range of animals described, the range of animals you would expect? Are there others you would like to be able to purchase?
3. Would you be willing to pay the slightly higher costs for a legally imported fur, than risk it being destroyed and a fine for illegal importation, or would you still take the risk?
4. Would you only want taxidermy quality pelts available, or would you like to be able to purchase non mountable pelts too?

I am in the process of contacting DEFRA and the British Fur Trading Association but if you have any information for me, or another place for me to research, please let me know.

Thanks for reading

:iconkillslay-steelclaw:
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brazenrogue's avatar
I don't suppose anything ever came of this?