'Compassion Is The Fashion,' For The Holidays

by ANC Staff and The Fund For Animals

The Fund for Animals, a national animal protection group, is urging consumers to "fake it" for the holidays and buy faux fur or other cruelty-free garments instead.

"With the many warm and elegant alternatives available, it is simply unnecessary to buy clothes made from real fur that was ripped or peeled off the backs of animals," said Pierre Grzybowski, Grassroots Coordinator for The Fund for Animals.

Animals raised in fur factories are confined in tiny cages until they are put out of their misery by gassing or anal electrocution.

In the wild, trapped animals suffer for days in steel-jawed leghold traps, often gnawing off their own limbs to escape.

"Leghold traps are the land mines of the natural world," said Jennifer Allen, Program Coordinator for The Fund.

"They indiscriminately maim and kill furbearing animals as well as ‘non-target' animals such as endangered species and family dogs and cats," she said.

A Decision Research poll of high-income shoppers, conducted in four metropolitan areas, revealed that a majority of consumers consider selling fur to be socially irresponsible.

By more than a four-to-one margin, consumers prefer to shop at stores that do not sell fur.

"It's the season for giving and the best gift to give is compassion - that's the new fashion," said Grzybowski.

This year, The Fund for Animals launched its first-ever anti-fur TV ad campaign in New York City, with a 30-second spot that aired during primetime on stations such as MTV, VH1, E!, Oxygen, Lifetime, and TNT.

The ad featured footage of fur factories and traps used to kill animals for their fur, and urged viewers to choose not to purchase any clothing with fur or fur trim.

More information on fur, along with The Fund's TV ad, is available online at www.fund.org/fur.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.