Fur farms: animal cruelty, zoonotic viruses, pollution, & no regulations
An estimated 100 million animals are killed for fur each year.
Animals in the fur industry are slaughtered in gruesome ways. They're anally or vaginally electrocuted, gassed, bludgeoned, or have their necks broken. These methods can result in a prolonged, excruciating death. Many organizations have documented animals being skinned alive.
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Fur Free Alliance says:
'To preserve the pelts, animals on fur farms are killed by inhumane methods, such as gassing and head-to-tail electrocution. Fox and raccoon dogs are generally electrocuted through the mouth and anus; a method with potential to inflict severe pain and distress on the animal.' [end quote]
Fur animals are forced to endure a life of misery locked in small wire-bottomed cages with no way to be comfortable. They are denied all natural behaviors due to both a lack of space & stimulation, often leading to psychological disorders. Industry standards for cage sizes on fur farms are extremely small, for example: 24" x 16" x 14" for rabbits & 32" x 10" x 12" for mink.
Subjected to continually cramped conditions and extreme stress, the animals self-mutilate or chew on the metal bars. Their excrement falls beneath them through the wires, forcing them to live in filthy conditions.
How many animals are slaughtered for just one fur coat?
approximately: 150-300 chinchillas, 200+ squirrels, 50-60 minks, 30-40 rabbits, 15-40 foxes, 15-20 dogs, 8-12 lynx
The fur industry is not "natural," "green," or "eco-friendly," as they sometimes claim. Chemical preservatives are required to keep the skins from rotting. Workers exposed to chemicals suffer health consequences. Fur farms are an environmental disaster, demanding intensive use of resources, harming wildlife, & creating air & water pollution that impacts neighboring communities. (At Fur-Free Ohio we do not push for faux fur that is made from plastic, we advocate for natural fabrics.)
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Pelts in the United States are commonly shipped to other countries to be chemically treated and made into products, and then shipped back, adding immensely to the carbon footprint of fur products.
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The fur industry justifies caging, mutilating, murdering, & any practice so long as it is profitable.
Cruelty cases are not isolated. Undercover investigations consistently find heinous & disturbing acts, many of which that are considered "standard".
Fur farms account for 95% of fur production. This industry is defined by violence and is nearly unregulated or self-regulated; riddled with conflicts of interest. There are no legal consequences for animal cruelty on a fur farm. There are no laws protecting animals, only laxe guidelines, and no consequences for cruelty and abuse. The majority of furs are imported from other countries where there are no laws for animal welfare or protection.
Fur farms are also a breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria & zoonotic viruses like SARS & COVID-19. Mink can not only contract COVID-19 but also spread a mutated strain of the virus to humans, according to the World Health Organization. Millions of mink have been killed due to testing positive for Covid, and even after pelts are shipped to other areas, they can still carry and spread the virus.
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Some argue that it is their personal choice to use animals for luxury (not survival). They are forgetting someone who didn't have a choice: the animal. When another's life is exploited, it is no longer a "personal choice."
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