Facts About Furs

Animal cruelty in the fashion fur trade

• The total annual number of fur-bearing animals killed in Canada (in the wild and on fur farms) is 3,332,250. (1)

 

• Fur-bearing animals that are killed for the fashion fur trade include badgers, bears, beavers, cougars, coyotes, ermines, fishers, foxes, lynx, martens, minks, muskrats, otters, rabbits, raccoons, seals, skunks, squirrels, bobcats, wolves and wolverines. (2)

 

• In addition to killing animals in the wild, other fur-bearing animals are subjected to lethal animal tests for the development of new traps. (3)

 

• Wild animals who are trapped for their fur are caught in body-gripping traps. The leg-hold, Conibear and snare trap are the most commonly used traps and remain legal in every Canadian province and territory. (4)

 

• Many untargeted animals including birds, pets and endangered species are killed in traps intended for fur-bearing animals. While the Canadian government does not keep records of "non-target" catches, various trapping incidents have been documented throughout Canadian media. (5)

 

• In the United States, a recent investigation revealed that since 2000, over 50,000 animals have been mistakenly killed by indiscriminate tools such as traps, snares and poison. This number includes federally protected golden and bald eagles and more than 1,000 dogs, including family pets. (6)
  
  
  Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/wildlife/#storylink=cpy
  
  Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/05/01/2820804/usda-sued-in-vegas-over-predator.html#storylink=cpy

 

• Fur farming accounts for about 85% of the fur produced world wide (70-75% in Canada). (7)

 

• The government recommended methods for killing minks on Canadian fur farms includes gassing, electrical stunning and neck breaking. (8)

 

• The government recommended methods for killing foxes on Canadian fur farms includes anal electrocution and intravenous injection of barbiturates. (9)

 

• In addition to fur-bearing animals, millions of dog and cats are killed for their fur in China, Taiwan and the Philippines. (10)

 

• Even though the United States (11) and the European Union (12) banned the import and sale of dog and cat fur, it remains legal to import and sell dog and cat fur in Canada.

 

• In 2011, Canada’s Minister of Agricultural Trade, Honourable Peter Van Loan said, “The Government of Canada decided not to ban the importation of cat and dog fur products into Canada after careful review and analysis of the information available, and after taking into consideration the views of various Canadian stakeholders.” (13)

 

• Animal cruelty involved in the fashion fur trade has been well documented. For example, in 2005 investigators from Swiss Animal Protection/EAST International toured fur farms in China's Hebei Province, and it quickly became clear why outsiders are banned from visiting. Video footage showed animals including raccoon dogs being beaten and skinned alive. (14)

 

• In Canada, our own investigative work found fur-bearing animals suffering on a trap line in the province in Alberta. The footage was taken by a licensed trapper, during trapping season on an registered trap line. No matter the type of trap or how they are set, trapped animals experience extreme suffering and trauma. (15)

 

• The Canadian fur trade employs 70,000 Canadians. (16) Only 2% of Canada's aboriginal population is involved in the fur industry. (17)

 

Sources:

1. Statistics Canada, Pub 23-013-x
2. Statistics Canada, Pub 23-013-x
3. Canadian Trap Research Program, Albertatechfutures.ca
4. Provincial and territory trapping regulations, 2012
5. Media examples of trapping incidents, handout, Assoc. for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals (PDF)
6. Sacramento Bee, newspaper investigation. "The killing agency: Wildlife services brutal methods leave trail of animal death." May 3, 2012
7. Fur Institute of Canada, website, 2012
8. Recommended Code of Practice for the care and handling of mink, Agriculture Canada, 1988 ISBN: 0-662-15912-8
9. Recommended Code of Practice for the care and handling of foxes, Agriculture Canada, 1989 ISBN: 0-662-16551-9
10. Humane Society International, dog and cat fur investigation, 1997
11. USA Federal Trade Commission, Dog and Cat Protection Act 2000
12. European Union, regulation (EC) No. 1523/2007
13. Written Corespondance, Jan. 2011 with Honorable Peter Van Loan
14. Swiss Animal Protection (SAP) / East International, 2005 Chinese fur farm investigation video
15. Assoc. for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals, video Crying Shame
16. Fur Institute of Canada, website, Facts and Figures, 2012
17. 2006 Canadian Census, 1,172,785 Aboriginal people in Canada. Only 25,000 of those people involved in trapping, according to Fur Institute of Canada, website, Facts and Figures, 2012