Be fur free: a consumer guide
© WSPA
The fur industry is responsible for the mistreatment and death of over 50 million animals for fashion every year. Species killed for non-essential luxury items include lynx, wolves, rabbits, coyotes, foxes, minks, racoons, beavers, squirrels, cats and dogs.
Animals farmed for their fur suffer from physical and behavioural abnormalities brought on by squalid, unsuitable conditions and the stress of being caged. At the end of a life devoid of natural behaviours or conditions, horrifically cruel slaughter methods – designed to preserve the pelt – are used.
The use of traps and snares on wild animals offers a no less painful death, and some have been declared inhumane by veterinary associations.
Killing the demand for fur
The power to stop fur production lies with the consumer – an industry that puts profits before ethics can only survive as long as the demand does.
As a compassionate shopper, please consider the following information, and advise friends and family to do the same:
Fur trim: as bad as a full coat
The fur trim industry is now worth half a billion dollars a year, with China being the largest producer and exporter of fur trim and accessories. Fur trim is not what’s left over from making fur coats; in fact, the number of animals killed for fur trim is overtaking the number killed to make full coats.
This trend is particularly worrying because the necessary pelt quality for trim is not as high as for coats, meaning the animals are subject to greater mistreatment – the fur spoiled by injury or disease can simply be discarded. Please ensure that nothing you buy has fur in the lining or anywhere else.
Be sure a store is fur free
By choosing to support stores that carry the Fur Free Fox logo, awarded by the Fur Free Alliance, you are sending a strong negative message to the fur industry. An international list of approved retailers is available here.
Other actions you can take
Apart from avoiding all fur products, you can sign the Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS) fur-free pledge, and encourage others to join you. Pledges enable HSUS to approach designers and retailers with evidence of public opinion against fur.
You can also vote in – or enter – the annual Design Against Fur competition, which invites students from around the world to create a compelling poster to deliver the message that wearing fur is cruel and unnecessary. The contest is open to students of fashion, design, fine arts, advertising, marketing, graphic design multi-media, and all other disciplines.
Take time to learn more. For further information about fur farming, fur bearing animals and more consumer tips – including a guide on telling fake from real fur – visit the Fur Free Alliance website. This is the world’s largest coalition of animal protection and welfare organisations – including WSPA – working to end the exploitation and killing of animals for their fur.