Jeweller fined for selling illegal big cat claws in jewellery

A vintage jewellery designer popular with Kate Moss has been fined £2,000 after she was caught selling antique big cat claws. 

Annina Vogel, who is behind the eponymous jewellery brand, was spotted selling the claws by a customer, who became concerned when she heard a sales representative refer to 14 items as “tiger claws”.

A wildlife crime officer attended the Liberty department store in Regent Street – where the items were on sale at a concession stand – in March 2014 and seized 11 pieces of jewellery containing 14 big cat claws.

The claws were inspected by a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) appointed wildlife inspector who confirmed that they originated from big cats, including leopards, jaguars, lynxes, caracals and servals.

All these cats are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), however as they were being sold as ‘tiger claws’ the regulations on the sale of tiger claws applied.

After pleading guilty to the illegal sale of the jewellery on Thursday, June 18, Annina Vogel Limited was fined £2,000, ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £120.

Detective Constable Sarah Bailey, of the Metropolitan Police Service’s Wildlife Crime Unit, said: “New guidelines were implemented in the UK in 2013, in order to protect the world’s dwindling tiger population.

“I would like to take this opportunity to remind jewellers and antique dealers to ensure they comply with the legislation in relation to tiger claw specimens.

“The sale of any tiger claws is unlawful if they have not been significantly altered from their natural state, even if antique. This kind of trade continues to threaten many endangered species with extinction.”