Fur Campaign

Although fur farms were banned in the UK in 2003, the British public can still receive a stark reminder of the horrendous suffering endured by animals for the fur trade as UK retailers still stock products in their stores.

In June 2007 a parliamentary vote introduced an EU wide ban on cat and dog fur products from Asia, which was widely welcomed by animal welfare advocates. However fur from animals slaughtered on farms and caught in traps in countries like Ireland, Norway, Canada and America still makes its way in to the British market and is sold as coats, scarves, bags and trim by numerous retailers.

Electrocution. Terror. Suffering. Death.

Animals on fur farms, which include rabbits, foxes and mink among others, are housed in tiny wire cages, with no space to move, no proper nutrition and they often left outside in the freezing cold.

After a life of pain and terror they are then slaughtered in ways that can only be described as befitting a horror film. Electrocuted, bludgeoned and skinned alive these animals suffer cruelty that beggars belief. Millions of animals are killed each year and recent figures suggest that 180 million rabbits alone were slaughtered for fur last year.

Rabbit fur is extremely popular with retailers in the UK and many consumers may not even realise they are purchasing fur as it can appear as trim on coats and bags and may not even be labelled as real fur.

Fur farming and trapping has driven many species to extinction or severe endangerment and while the recent proposed ban against seal products in the EU is a heralded step forward, consumers should not be fooled in to thinking the trade in fur products is dying out. Sadly, it is still only too present on our high-street and FOUR PAWS is campaigning for better labelling and information for consumers.

Cruelty-free fur does not exist

In an attempted defence of wearing fur, many retailers will cite empty arguments to defend their sale of animal skins. It is simply indefensible. FOUR PAWS would challenge them to prove their claims, as it is indisputable that ‘friendly fur’ does not exist.

‘Fur is a meat by-product’ – Often a favourite argument for the use of rabbit fur this claim is entirely false. No fur is ever a by-product of the meat industry. Animals are captured and bred solely for their fur and any trim, no matter how small, is the result of immense animal suffering.

‘The animals used for our fur have been humanely killed’ – Yet again a universal untruth. There is no humanity to be found in the fur industry. After the animals have spent a painful and terrified existence in the fur farms, or crushed in a trap, their horrendous ordeal continues to the bitter end as their throats are slit, they are anally-electrocuted and even skinned alive and dumped still breathing like discarded rubbish.

Visit our webpage Pro-fur arguments are “Fur-fetched” for more information.

How You Can Help

Visit our webpage for a list of retailers who do and don’t sell fur. This can give you a guide of where to shop compassionately and our What You Can Do page gives lots of tips on how you can be pro-active in supporting our fur campaign and help the animals.

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