Fur factory farms account for 85% of the skins used in the fur industry

around the world. Like factory farms for animal consumption, the animals

kept in fur farms have to endure appalling conditions. They’re kept in tiny

filthy wire cages and suffer from a myriad of physical and psychological

conditions such as psychosis, disease, deformity and parasites. The

animals are slaughtered with the cheapest and cruelest methods

including gas, anal electrocution, poison and suffocation in order to keep

the pelt intact.

 

Animals trapped in the wild are captured by several types of traps.

Conibear traps will crush an animal’s neck with 90 pounds of pressure

per square inch. Water-set traps can leave many animals including

beavers and muskrats struggling in pain until they drown. Steel-jaw traps

slam down on their legs, often cutting to the bone. They could suffer for

days from shock, blood loss, dehydration, gangrene, frostbite or may be

attacked by a predator. Setting traps in the wild can also inadvertently harm animals they were not intended for, including many endangered species.

 

Unbelievably a lot of the fur products in the US are actually made of dogs and cats. The products are imported from China and are deliberately mislabeled as another species, called ‘wild animal fur’, or even be labeled faux fur. Over half of the fur products in the US are imported from China. China is the world’s largest fur exporter (primarily dogs, cats, rabbits, foxes and minks) and they have no penalties for abusing animals on fur farms. Animals are kept in wire cages outside exposed to the elements; they’re disease and often reach a level of psychosis that leads them to chew off their own limbs. Mothers driven crazy by the cruel conditions often kill their babies after delivering them. Swiss Animal Protection/EAST International sent in undercover investigators who found that many animals are still alive when workers flip them over or hang them to start the skinning process. They can live in agony for up to 10 minutes after being skinned alive.

 

How can you help? Be careful to avoid products made from fur, or "fake fur" products that feel real to the touch. Real fur feels has a "silkier" texture than fake fur, and individual pieces of fur are often tapered rather than a uniform size. Another way to tell is by looking at the "skin" to see if it demonstrates a fabric texture. When in doubt, leave it out (of your closet)!

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