Fur and Leather
Fashion is one of the greatest detriments to the animals, in many ways. Between long fur coats and makeup which was tested on animals, there doesn't seem to be much hope for the animals... but there is: fewer people are buying furs and leathers (pleather and faux fur are becoming hot sellers!) these days, which is a good sign! On the other hand, foxes, minks, rabbits, chinchillas, and numerous other species of animals are still being raised and hunted for their fur. In addition, cattle, horses, camels, and a few others are raised for their hides which are turned into leather. "Behind every beautiful fur, there is a story. It is a bloody, barbaric story." --Mary Tyler Moore
Farmed fur animals suffer in small mesh cages in poor conditions with severe cramping and discomfort. Food is inadequate, and the mesh floors of most fur farms cause rubbing (often to the point of bleeding) of the foot pads and legs of animals. Cage sizes vary, but are generally about 2.5 square feet for one to four foxes; up to four minks are kept in cages of one by three feet. The extreme crowding and confinement causes a number of abnormal behaviors, such as self-mutilation. Minks often bite their own pelts and tails or begin to pace in repetitive patterns. Foxes kept in close confinement sometimes cannibalize each other. * Approximately 31 million animals are raised and killed on fur farms each year, killed solely for their coats to be sold in the fashion industry. Mink account for 26 million, fox 4.1 million. Chinchillas, raccoons, fitch and sable make up for most of the other ranch raised victims * There are 415 mink farms in the US, which account for 10% of world production * Many fur farms sometimes feed the bodies of the skinned animals back to the live animals to save on feed costs. Forced cannibalism was banned in the cattle industry because it was believed to have been the cause of "Mad Cow disease" *Ferrets are raised on fur farms in Europe, and their skins sold as fitch fur. Studies show that up to 2/3 of the ferrets on fur farms come down with disease as a result of the poor living conditions. Fur Farms
Small animals may be placed in boxes and "knocked out" by being poisoned with gas. Their pelts are then removed while they are still alive. Many animals awaken and have their skins removed without being killed or anaesthetised. Larger animals often have clamps attached to their lips and rods inserted into their anuses. They are then electrocuted -- a very painful method of slaughter. Other animals are poisoned with strychnine, which suffocates them by paralyzing their muscles. Gasing, decompression chambers, and neck snapping are other common fur farm slaughter methods. Mink are usually killed by gassing, neck breaking or poison injection. Most foxes are killed by anal electrocution; Chinchilla breeders recommend either neck breaking or genital electrocution. Unfortunately, at this point in time, no humane slaughter law protects animals on fur farms in the United States. Minks are generally killed at at about five months of age, and foxes are killed when they are about nine months old. Breeding females are kept around longer, until they can no longer produce offspring. Slaughter of Farmed Animals
Hunted fur animals are caught by various means. Stell leghold traps are one of the most common methods, and are clearly one of the cruelest -- and most common. Caught animals may suffer with their legs cut or broken in the trap for days or weeks. They often try to gnaw their own limbs off in an attempt to escape. These traps are also prone to catching the wrong animals, which are then discarded. Fur is one of the premiere wastes of animal life. Beavers are caught in underwater traps which cause death by drowning. Trapping disrupts wildlife populations by killing healthy animals needed to keep their species strong. In short, it ignores and randomly destroys the well-developed method of "natural selection". Populations are further damaged when the parents of young animals are killed. Left alone, animal populations can regulate their own numbers; we have to remember that people's duty is not to regulate anything, we should be doing our best to create a more peaceful environment for all animals. * 10 million animals are trapped for their fur each year. The United States, Canada, and Russia account for most of the worlds wild fur production * The steel jaw leghold trap is the most common trap used by the fur industry, followed by the wire snare, and the Conibear body gripping trap which crushes the animal * 88 countries and 5 states have banned the leghold trap because of its inherent cruelty and because it is non-selective and traps whatever animal steps into it. * Harp seals can be legally killed as soon as they begin to moult their white fuzz, at about 2 weeks of age. They are at risk for the rest of their lives. Roughly 80% of the seals killed in the commercial hunt are the spring young, between 12 days and 1 year old (Source: DFO, Proceeding of the National Marine Mammal Review Committee, Feb. 1999). * The primary uses of seal are its fur for coats and its penises, which are sold in the aphrodesiac market Trapping
Number Number of Total Hrs of Target "Trash" Spent in Traps Animals in Animals/Coat 40" Coat COYOTE 16 48 960 LYNX 18 54 1,080 MINK 60 180 3,600 OPOSSUM 45 135 2,700 OTTER 20 60 1,200 RED FOX 42 126 2,520 RACCOON 40 120 2,400 SABLE 50 150 3,000 SEAL 8 - 32 MUSKRAT 50 150 1,500 BEAVER 15 45 225 (Statistics from Skin Trade Primer by Susan Russell, published by Friends of Animals, 1987)
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