Atrocities for fur: Update regarding Israel!

anon

Tue, Aug 24 2010, 11:15 pm

I've always felt weird about buying fur, but my recent exposure to some of the horrors of fur farming has solidified those feelings. I'd love to hear what you think!

(The following information is highlighted sections taken from the two websites listed below)

http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-2-21/51905.html

http://en.epochtimes.com/news/......html

- China has become the world's largest exporter of fur garments in just a few years.

- China apparently has no laws in place to regulate the confinement and slaughter of the animals whose fur is responsible for a highly profitable industry. While conditions of fur farms in the West have been subjected to criticism by animal rights groups, Chinese fur farms and slaughter methods have been alleged to be far more shocking and brutal.
- The rapid growth in fur farming and lack of animal welfare regulation in China prompted Care for the Wild, EAST International and the Swiss Animal Protection (SAP) to collaborate on an investigation throughout 2004 and January of 2005. The investigation, Fun Fur? A Report on the Chinese Fur Industry, exposes the horrors inflicted on animals at Chinese fur farms.

- It was in the Shangcun Market that a 14-minute video was secretly produced in February 2005 by the Swiss Animal Protection SAP which shows the skinning of raccoon dogs, foxes and other animals that are still alive and even struggling (see http://www.animal-protection.net. WARNING: Images may be disturbing to some viewers).

Investigators obtained photos and video at fur farms throughout the Hebei province of Eastern China. Visited farms each held between 50 and 6,000 frightened and abused animals. Investigators documented Red foxes, Arctic foxes, raccoon dogs, minks, and rex rabbits manifesting pathological behaviors, high cub mortality rates and infanticide—symptoms of a lifetime of abuse. They tracked the animals as they were transported for sale under brutal conditions (e.g., stuffed tightly into cages; cages thrown many feet from top of truck to ground…my own info).
China's lack of animal welfare standards allows millions of animals to live out their entire lives cramped in rows of tiny wire cages. These caged animals pace, nod, and circle their heads repeatedly in signs of extreme anxiety. Others, overwhelmed by the conditions, develop learned helplessness, huddling in their cages and demonstrating no signs of interest in the activity around them.

Before sale at markets, animals are removed from cages with metal tongs around their necks and carried by their hind legs for skinning and slaughter. Instead of killing the animals humanely, workers often stun them with repeated blows to the head using wooden clubs, or by swinging them by the hind legs and beating their heads on the ground.

Investigators witnessed a significant number of animals that were still alive when the skinning process began—starting with a knife at the rear of the belly and ending with the fur being pulled over the animal's head. After the skin was removed, investigators taped animals being thrown on a pile of other carcasses. These animals were still breathing, had a heartbeat, and continued moving and blinking for between five to ten minutes after their skin had been ripped from their bodies.

The group is also appalled at the frequent use of domestic dog and cat fur. They claim that even Burlington Coat Factory, Macy's, JC Penny, Nordstrom, Saks and Barneys are selling dog fur as the fur from another species or even labeled as "faux fur."

Last edited by anon on Tue, Sep 28 2010, 11:36 am; edited 7 times in total

anon

Tue, Aug 24 2010, 11:21 pm

deleted

Last edited by anon on Wed, Aug 25 2010, 9:25 am; edited 1 time in total

sushilover

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 1:11 am

how about adding an option of only buying fur that was regulated? (ie, not from China)

amother

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 3:08 am

Only if the animal is eaten.

anon

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 9:53 am

sushilover wrote:

how about adding an option of only buying fur that was regulated? (ie, not from China)

Good point, although it's too late to add an option.

However, if too many chose this option, I would think of it as a copout answer, since it would take a lot of dedication to ensure this.

By the way, there is plenty of abuse in western fur farms...just not to the same horrifying extent.

Pickle Lady

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 10:01 am

I don't buy fur either!!

I won't buy gloves that are fur lined either or anything with fur even a bit of fur in it. I look for the things that have fake fur only.

chavs

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 10:11 am

I would never wear fur. I've read and seen the video you provided before or similar ones a least, although I wouldnt have worn fur before hat either.

anon

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 10:20 am

Pickle Lady wrote:

I don't buy fur either!!

I won't buy gloves that are fur lined either or anything with fur even a bit of fur in it. I look for the things that have fake fur only.

Pickle, one of these articles mentioned (and I've heard of this beforehand as well) that sometimes items labeled as faux fur is actually real fur. There are ways to differentiate between real fur and fake fur, but relying on labels alone won't do the trick.

Edited to say that they often use the fur of cats and dogs, but people generally don't want to wear the fur of a golden retriever or tabby cat. So to make it more marketable, they mislabel it as something more appealing (fox, mink) or faux.

Chavelamomela

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 10:58 am

In all honesty, I would feel terrible buying it, but someone gave me a gift of a fur scarf and I love it.

Also, my gandfather A"H was a furrier - we have some furs that have been kept properly that are still in our family today. But none of us would ever buy a new fur.

Pickle Lady

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 11:53 am

anon wrote:

Pickle Lady wrote:

I don't buy fur either!!

I won't buy gloves that are fur lined either or anything with fur even a bit of fur in it. I look for the things that have fake fur only.

I knew about the cats and dog thing, so I really don't buy fur unless its noticeably fake which it then pretty fake looking so in the end I don't buy.

5S5Sr7z3

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 11:57 am

I would never wear or buy real fur. I'm no animal lover, but I believe that animals were put in this world for one purpose - food.

prettyone

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 12:06 pm

I never really thought about it and I cant afford it anyway but I wonder why pple have such an aversion to it. I agree that the way they are killing the animals are horrific and that is should not be condoned or accepted. but the actual wearing of the fur I think is fine. Hashem put animals in this world for us to use- we are allowed to eat them, use their skin (leather shoes anyone?), and yes their fur as well.

I do think that because they are being so mistreated and that is tzar baali chaim then maybe we should stop buying it so we are not supporting these companies- but thats the only reason I can think of that it might be wrong.

anon

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 12:12 pm

prettyone wrote:

I do think that because they are being so mistreated and that is tzar baali chaim then maybe we should stop buying it so we are not supporting these companies- but thats the only reason I can think of that it might be wrong.

While there are strong animal lovers who believe that animals shouldn't be killed for anything, it's the reason you posted above that is the most common reason ppl are against fur...and the reason I posted the topic. It's the support of abuse that ppl are upset about. Anytime animals are used for mass production purposes, they start to be treated like objects, rather than animals who were created to feel.

bubby

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 2:25 pm

I'm in BIG trouble. I have 2 mink coats (one is a raincoat), & I'd love something in chinchilla or sable, but the budget will never stretch.

This is how I see it. Every living thing has a purpose. As I understand it, a mink's is to keep spoiled Jewish matrons warm in the winter. Now it is true I know absolutely nothing about how they are farmed, but quite honestly, I don't really care. Yes, it would be nice if each little mink lived in a pretty Laura Ashley designed cage with all mod cons, but the real world isn't like that.

I applaud animal activists' dedication, but I really wish they'd be as concerned about the rights of women & children, world hunger, and so on. I'll take my mink, let PETA worry about starving kids & the Haiti earthquake.

bnm

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 2:41 pm

bubby wrote:

I applaud animal activists' dedication, but I really wish they'd be as concerned about the rights of women & children, world hunger, and so on. I'll take my mink, let PETA worry about starving kids & the Haiti earthquake.

sequoia

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 2:54 pm

I wish I could afford a fur; as I cannot, I will pretend it's for ethical reasons.

anon

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 2:58 pm

bubby wrote:

This is how I see it. Every living thing has a purpose. As I understand it, a mink's is to keep spoiled Jewish matrons warm in the winter. Now it is true I know absolutely nothing about how they are farmed, but quite honestly, I don't really care. Yes, it would be nice if each little mink lived in a pretty Laura Ashley designed cage with all mod cons, but the real world isn't like that.

I can't even begin to understand this. Did you read the articles or simply responding to the poll? What exactly is there not to care about? I mean this completely sincerely, I'm seriously scratching my head to understand how someone can consider themselves to be a compassionate person (which I'm sure you do) and cannot care about people literally torturing animals for money and fashion.

And whatever you do, please PLEASE do not bring our religious beliefs into the picture. G-d absolutely did not intend for animals to be treated this way. This is a symptom of our crappy evil world, not a world that runs according to the way G-d described it should.

Aidelmom

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 3:04 pm

And where were the swiss during the holocaust? I can betcha no-one wrote an article like this. Is shechita allowed in switzerland? What do people who are against shechita write about it? - just some thoughts that came to mind.

That said - if the above article is true , then of course it is horrifying and very sad. I would definitely think twice before buying a fur (if I had the money) and do more research on the issue to make sure I'm not supporting horrible animal torturers.

anon

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 3:08 pm

bnm wrote:

bubby wrote:

There are countless worthy causes in this world because there are countless horrible things. Obviously, the suffering of people is worse than the suffering of animals. But that doesn't mean that one shouldn't be concerned with the suffering of animals. As a person who prioritizes people over animals, I can understand why you would choose to donate all your money, energy, and time to human causes, but that still doesn't explain why a person would indirectly support animal cruelty. One has nothing to do with the other.

bubby

Wed, Aug 25 2010, 3:21 pm

anon wrote:

bubby wrote:

I don't condone torture of any sort, even pulling wings off flies. But I don't see mink farming as torture. True, I really don't know anything about it & I'm sure there are plenty of unscrupulous farmers who abuse their animals...just as there are plenty of unscrupulous people who abuse children. Yet animal cruelty seems to engender more outrage.

The thing is, I like fur. I wear leather, I eat meat, I don't restrict my omelettes to free-range & organic eggs so why be a hypocrite & refuse to wear fur? As I said, I respect people who hold pro-animal strong beliefs, but in the bigger picture animals are not human. (Of course, try telling my sister that over her dog. She's his Mummy! Rolling Eyes

) I think I'm compassionate, but not universally so. That said, I would never deliberately walk away from anyone abusing an animal, but I can't get all bent out of shape over commercial enterprises that boost the economy & provide work for people. Let's not forget how many HUMAN-saving drugs were tested on animals. I don't have a problem with that either.

I'm soooooooooooo bad, aren't I?

BTW, I definitely won't bring G-d into it, G-d has His agenda & I haven't figured it out yet.