Fur coats and fur consumer products are found all around the world.

Animals that are trapped or farmed for these products range from minks, foxes, chinchillas, lynxes and raccoons to dogs, cats, rabbits and even hamsters. Whichever animal, whatever the product, guaranteed is a path of agonizing torture, suffering and misery.

Fur Farming

As with many exploitative animal industries, large numbers of animals are packed and crowded into small spaces where they can barely move. Far too many animals are allocated far too little space and often suffer from disease and neglect. Out of frustration many animals will harm themselves by way of self mutilation. Minks for example will bite themselves on the tails and feet because they need vast amounts of land and water and the confinement of a cage leads them to frantic pacing and injury.

Many animals are known to attack, maim and devour one another due to the cramped conditions.Due to the fact that fur farmers will go to great lengths not to damage the fur of an animal, gruesome slaughter methods are implemented without regulation. Smaller animals are often poisoned by exhaust fumes which are hose piped into a box. Strychnine is used to kill the animals by suffocation. Larger animals are electrocuted, but as mentioned earlier it is imperative not to spoil the fur so metal rods are place internally via the mouth and anus and the animals are electrocuted from the inside out causing the animal to go into cardiac arrest. Gassing, decompression and neck breaking are methods also often used.

Trapping

Each year millions of animals are trapped. The primary tools used by fur trappers to capture animals are the Leghold trap, the Conibear trap and the wire snare.

• The Leghold trap is composed of two metal jaws, powered by high strength springs that slam shut on an animals' paw when triggered. The initial impact of the steel jaws causes injury, but the majority of harm is caused as the animal struggles to break free. Within minutes of capture, a trapped animal can tear flesh, rip tendons, break bones and even knock out teeth as they bite at the trap. Any animal that does escape will die later from blood loss, fever, gangrene, or predation. While causing extensive injury, these traps are not designed to kill an animal outright, but rather to restrain it until the trapper returns. Some animals in traps will be found dead from dehydration, blood loss, hypothermia, or other trap inflicted injuries. Trappers kill animals that are still alive by shooting them in the head, standing on them, or by beating their skulls in.

•   Sometimes trappers will opt to use body grip traps. Body grip traps, commonly referred to as Conibears traps are made of two rectangular frames. When the animal walks between these two frames they slam down and break the animals back or neck. It is advertised as an instant kill trap, but only 15% of its victims die within that short a period of time. The rest will wait in pain with broken backs, and other extreme injuries, until death finally sets in.

• The other commonly used fur trap is the snare. This is made of cable, and is shaped like noose. When the animal goes through the noose, it is caught. The more it struggles, the tighter the noose becomes. If it is caught around the neck, the trap it will eventually strangle the animal.

Which countries sell fur?

“The globalization of the fur trade has made it impossible to know where fur products come from. Skins move through international auction houses and are purchased and distributed to manufacturers around the world, and finished goods are often exported. Even if a fur garment’s label says that it was made in a European country, the animals were likely raised and slaughtered elsewhere.” PETA

Dog & Cat Fur

Most dog and cat fur comes from countries in the Far East. Some of the furs come from dogs and cats bred on farms similar to any other fur farm. Many cat and dog furs come from families that breed hundreds of animals, kept in very foul conditions, and slaughter them during the winter. German Shepherds are rumoured to be the most commonly killed dogs in China. Undercover videos from the Swiss Animal Protection, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and the Humane Society documented dogs and cats being trucked to market without food and water, pulled from their cages, sometimes disemboweled, sometimes bashed on the ground to stun them, then hanged by wires, and skinned when still alive. Many people where these furs not even knowing their origin.

There is absolutely no need for the brutal cruelty endured by thousands of animals every year to supply the world with unneeded fur. Fur perhaps, is one of the most horrific and primitive trades in the world. By wearing fur and fur products we support a trade based solely on vanity and capitalism.

Make a stand. Say no to fur.