Think that trim around your hood is fake fur? It may actually contain dog hair!

Inspectors for the Humane Society say fur from a canine species known as the raccoon dog was found on garments labeled as being "faux-fur."

• This past holiday season, Neiman Marcus advertised and sold animal fur online as being "faux." The item in question was a $1,300 Burberry women's jacket.
• Bergdorf Goodman last year was also found to have sold unlabeled fur-trimmed jackets in violation of New York state law.

Federal law only requires clothing manufacturers to label real fur the item is valued at more than $150! The Humane Society of the U.S. has been trying for years to close the loophole. Their efforts have succeeded in five states, including New York, where all clothing including real fur must be clearly labeled. The problem is enforcement.

According to the HSUS, "false advertising or labeling of fur is punishable under the Fur Products Labeling Act by up to one year in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. The use of trade names on labels to describe the animals is prohibited."

The HSUS has found a friend in San Francisco Assemblywoman Fiona Ma who has introduced legislation requiring the “conspicuous” labeling in California of any clothing that includes real fur. The legislation is expected to pass.

“A lot of people are buying fake fur because they don’t want to buy the real thing, but they like the look and feel,” she said, nothing that some consumers are allergic to animal fur. “There’s an assumption when you buy a product at a certain price that it is fake fur, but that’s not true. All we are saying is, ‘Label it.’ … This is about a consumer’s right to know as well as animal rights.”

What can you do?

• Lobby your congressman to get fur properly labeled on clothing.
• Learn how to home test your "fake fur" and teach your family and friends!
1. First, look at the base of the "fur." If you see sewn threads, it’s probably synthetic. Real animal hair will still be attached to its skin.
2. Pull a few strands of "hair" from the item. Place them in a small fire-proof dish and light them with a match. If the resulting fumes smell plastic, the fur is fake. If it smells and burns like hair, it’s real fur.