Deana L. Wilson
Dr. Russo
PHI 237-01
14 December 2011
Why We Shouldn’t Wear Fur
When we think about fur, we usually think about an expensive coat that keeps us warm, makes us feel good and looks great. People have been wearing fur since the beginning of time for warmth and protection. It was also used for blankets and rugs. Fur comes in different styles whether it is long, short or quarter length as well as a variety of colors and texture. But do we really know exactly what fur is? Do we know why we shouldn’t wear it? Fur is the growth of hair that covers wild animals and it keeps them warm through different climates. Fur can also be referred to pelts. Pelts are fur referred to processing into leather with the hair still attached Furs started being worn by Kings and Princes during the medieval times during 400 bc. Over 600 years later fur has continued being worn today by not only kings and Princes but by some everyday people as well as celebrities.
It is imperative to know fur animals are sacrificed for the luxury of humans. Foxes, rabbits, Chinchillas, Mink are the most popular and fashionable furs are worn. There’s over 40 million fur animals killed every year. Out of that 40 million, 26 million are mink, 4.5 million are fox and 250, 000 are chinchillas. Each Year alone 1 billion rabbits are killed for their fur. The Fur industry has begun to pollute the environment leaving animals to die, land being destroyed and at this rate eventually fur animals will eventually become extinct. It takes approximately 100 chinchillas to make one coat, 35 wild mink, eighteen red foxes, eleven silver foxes and 30-40 rabbits to kill to make one coat. “Fur coats are warm, but there are other ways to clothe oneself warmly. According to Pringle Wearing fur for fashion, for vanity, seem to be especially frivolous reason for killing mammals” (p.78)
Fur farms are filthy places throughout the world where fur animals are breed, raised and killed for their fur. There are nearly 400 fur farms in the United States and originated in 1887 on Prince Edward Island off the Coast of Canada. Fur farming has been in existence for over 100 years and house thousands of fur animals. In these fur farms fur animals are caught by fur farmers where they are caged, living in fear with diseases, parasites, have very little room to move freely which many cause the animals to disfigure themselves. In order for the Fur farmers to properly preserve animal fur and maximize profit they perform the most cost efficient killing methods of breaking animals necks, anal and mouth electrocution, homemade gas chambers, barbaric traps and suffocation. This is definitely torture. Unfortunately there are no laws protecting the inhumane way of killing these animals. In her supportive letter to the editor of the of New York Times article, Biel concurs: “The Animal rights movement has been protesting for more than 20 years, and it succeeded in convincing the majority that killing animals for fur is immoral. However, the fur industry continues to thrive because all it needs is a support of a very small minority that does not care about morality or common decency” (1).
Not only is the method of killing fur animals horrific, it can be immensely expensive. The cost varies on fur coats, depending on length, color, and which particular fur animals one is interested in purchasing. This luxury costs on an average usually is between $500.00 and $30.000, Chinchillas alone can cost up $ 100,000 also insurance fees about $100.00 and storage fees during summer months are about $ 60.00. In a newspaper article from the Chicago Tribune “The rental charges range from 5 percent to 10 percent of the purchase price, which means that a coat selling for 500.000 yen ($4,000)” Asahi News Service (1). With an expense like that, so much more can be done. You can purchase a home, attend college, invest as well as save. There are so many clothing materials that can be just a warm, less cost efficient, as well as stylish. Faux fur is an alternate of “real fur” which is made from synthetic fibers to resemble real fur. In the Los Angeles Times article “Designers instead turned to polymer chemist for a substitute that could please fur-coveting consumers and possibly assuage a few concerns of animal activists rights” Magsaysay (1) some of the ingredients include coal, air, water, petroleum and limestone. Bekoff simply stated “How animals are used to manufacture clothes made of fur continues to be of interest to numerous animal protection groups worldwide”. (p.133)
PERIODICALS
Articles in a Newspaper
Magsaysay, Melissa. “Faux fur, for real” Los Angeles Times 28 Aug. 2011
Biel. Letter. New York Times 01 Feb 2009. Web 08 Dec 2011
Asahi News Service. Rent-a-fur A New Japanese Trend 15 Feb. 1989
BOOKS
Pringle, Laurence The Animal rights Controversy . San Diego: California 1989 Copyright
Bekoff, Marc Animals Matter . Massachusetts: Boston 2000, 2007
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