The animal-rights movement has declared war against the use of animals, claiming all uses of animals are cruel. Convinced of the moral superiority of their cause, self-ordained evangelists consider themselves to be above the law. They violate human rights and even resort to terrorism without compunction in the name of their cause.
The targets of their demonstrations are fur retailers ranging from Seattle to New Jersey whose crimes are that they have offended animal rightists by selling a product whose “skin is more beautiful than ours.”
As a faculty member at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, I am concerned about allegations of cruelty to animals and recently visited a mink farm to see these animals first-hand. What I saw were animals that behaved every much like those on display at the county fair: mildly curious about my approach but generally indifferent to my presence. The mink were healthy, well-fed and protected from predators and disease by farmers who understand that the well-being of their animals assures the success of their farm.
When the animals are harvested, they are humanely euthanized with carbon monoxide. Compare the lives of these mink with those in the wild, nearly half of which die painfully from starvation, disease or predators in their first year of life.
So where is the cruelty in the fur industry? The only cruelty I know of on fur farms is that inflicted by the animal-rights terrorists who liberate thousands of domesticated mink into an environment in which they have little chance of survival. The only cruelty I have seen in fur retailing is the vandalism of fur stores, endangerment of human safety and harassment of individuals who choose to wear fur.
So the next time you see someone waving a placard or passing out leaflets to stop you from wearing fur, or even from eating a hamburger, you might question the actions of these activists who trespass against us.
