I was disappointed to see your article “Fur’s hot again” because the article did not represent both sides of the issue. Although one of the people interviewed said she never thought about how buying fur affects the animals used by the industry, the article did not offer any of the basic facts about how animals live and die for fur coats, fur trim and fur accessories.
To balance the article, people need to know that wild animals are trapped in painful leg-hold traps that do not kill them right away. They often chew off their paws or starve to death before a trapper comes to check the traps. If he finds them alive, a trapper will often beat or strangle the animal in order to kill them without damaging their coats. Dogs, cats and other animals are often caught in these traps.
Animals on fur “farms” or “ranches” are wild animals but are forced to live in tiny, barren cages. Although they may get food and water, their tiny cages do not allow any of their natural social or foraging behaviors, so they literally go insane, spinning neurotically. In order to avoid damage to their coats, they are usually killed through anal or genital electrocution.
There are no laws to protect animals on fur (or meat) farms.
The fur industry introduced fur trim and accessories to regain the money it lost when people became aware of these facts. People seem to think that “a little fur” is OK, but, in fact, it’s the trim and accessories that keep the fur coat industry in business.
I don’t think a lot of people would think fur was so fashionable if they knew these simple facts.
Finally, as someone who has held banners at fur shows the last four weekends, I have received many honks and waves of support from drivers, several of whom stopped to personally thank me for being there. I know that not everyone has forgotten the cruelty of the fur industry.
