WASHINGTON — The Humane Society of the U.S. filed a petition with the FTC Wednesday, alleging that DrJays.com, which settled faux fur claims with the FTC last year, has violated a consent order and should be fined.
The HSUS, an animal protection organization, charged in the petition that DrJays.com, an online retailer of casual apparel and sportswear with 20 brick-and-mortar stores in the New York City metropolitan area, continued selling products on its e-commerce site that were falsely advertised as containing faux fur when they instead allegedly contained real fur — in direct violation of the FTC’s consent order issued against the retailer in July 2013.
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“The persistent false advertising in the animal fur industry continues despite previous FTC action,” said Ralph Henry, deputy director for animal protection litigation for The HSUS. “Many humane consumers are determined to avoid real fur due to concerns over live skinning and other issues.”
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The organization is seeking enforcement of the consent order enjoining false advertising and the imposition of civil penalties against DrJays.
DrJays, was one of three retailers that settled charges from the Federal Trade Commission in March 2013. It was cited by the FTC for violations of the Fur Products Labeling Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act for falsely mislabeling garments containing real fur as “faux fur.”
Under the consent order, which took effect on July 18, 2013, DrJays was barred from further violating the Fur Act and enjoined from falsely or deceptively advertising real fur as “faux fur.”
The HSUS said in its petition that it conducted investigations into products sold on the DrJays website after the date of the consent order and identified two garments — a Mustard Seed brand dress and a Knoles & Carter brand jacket — that it alleges were advertised as faux fur but tested as real fur. The HSUS purchased the Knoles & Carter jacket from the DrJays website in December 2013.
The petition alleges DrJays advertisements and labels “mislead consumers into unknowingly purchasing animal fur products.”
Dr. Jays did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.