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The Fur Industry: Trapping and Farming Types of Traps Victims Myths Fur Factory Farms You Can Help Millions of animals are trapped and killed each year for their skins and fur—animals sacrificed so their bodies can be used as fashion statements, lining the jackets of runway models and trimming the edges of designer clothing. Thankfully, the creation of synthetic materials long ago eliminated humanity’s dependence on fur for protection from the elements. The question must be asked: Why does humankind continue this brutal practice? The majority of people designing, selling, and wearing animal skin or fur garments do so for two very unfortunate reasons: vanity and ignorance. They design, sell, and wear clothing that looks good to them without a thought as to the original owner of that fur. Some people don’t know where their clothing comes from, and don’t question it. NHES’ goal is to educate these individuals about this cruel, unnecessary waste of life. Types of Traps Back to top There are three traps used most often by trappers in the United States—the most popular is the steel-jaw leghold trap, but the Conibear® and snare traps are also prevalently used. Not one of these trapping methods is considered humane; not one of them instantly kills the trapped animal; and not one of these traps should still be utilized in today’s society. Animals caught in any three of these traps are ensnared in excruciating pain until the trapper returns to bludgeon, suffocate, or shoot the animal to kill her before she is skinned. The sad reality of these traps is that many trappers do not check their traps regularly, and few states regulate this. Hours could pass, or days, or sometimes even weeks before a trapper returns to check his traps. Many times, the entangled animals die from exposure to extreme weather, predation, or starvation. Desperate, panicking animals have been known to break bones, including legs, backs, and necks trying to escape. Some—particularly mothers—attempt to chew off their own legs in an attempt to return home to their babies. Trapping is an archaic form of capturing animals for their pelts—something on which humanity no longer depends. Steel-Jaw Leghold Trap Operating exactly how its name implies, the steel-jaw leghold trap is designed to snap closed on an animal’s leg—or any part of the animal it happens to close on—holding her there until the trapper arrives. These traps close with unimaginable force, ripping flesh, severing tendons and ligaments, and breaking bones. As if these steel-jaw leghold traps were not inhumane as they are, trappers have found a way to make them even more brutal in an attempt to trap animals found in water. Steel-jaw leghold traps suspended in water will snap shut on anything that is unfortunate enough to swim into it, holding the animal underwater until she drowns. For some animals, such as beavers, this can take up to 10 minutes. Conibear Traps The Conibear trap is similar in design to the steel-jaw leghold trap in that it is designed to snap shut when the trigger is activated. The major difference between these two traps is that the Conibear is a larger, full body trap that is designed to snap shut at the base of the captured animal’s spinal chord, instantly killing her. However, it is rare that an animal happens to trigger one of these traps in the absolute perfect position. It is rare that an animal trapped in a Conibear is killed instantly. The majority of these animals suffer just as the animals in the steel-jaw leghold traps do. Also like the leghold traps, these traps can be placed underwater. Snare Traps Snare traps are the most inhumane traps legal in the United States today. They are primitive, unnecessarily brutal, and, unfortunately, inexpensive. The snare trap is merely a coil of wire fashioned into a noose at one end, with an anchor at the other end. Snares can catch animals by the neck, midsection, or limb, and will only get tighter as the animal struggles to free herself. This can result in broken legs, crushed organs, and suffocation. Animals caught in these atrocious traps die slow, painful deaths. Victims Animals most often falling victim to the whims of fashion designers include beavers, bobcats, coyotes, mink, opossums, raccoons, wolves, river otters, lynx, and others. Just as shockingly sad, though, are the millions of animals trapped in these torturous contraptions who are not the target animal. These “trash” animals, as they are referred to in the trapping industry, are simply discarded as they are of no use to trappers for pelts. Among these trash animals are family dogs and cats, deer, songbirds, raptors, livestock, and some endangered species. These wasted lives are the byproduct of a sickening industry. Myths Back to top Many myths surround trapping, from its benefits for population and disease control, to eliminating “nuisance” wildlife. Many trappers claim they are benefitting wildlife by regulating population. This excuse has been disproven countless times by accredited researchers. Studies show that, in reality, trapping and killing animals often increases populations within the same species, as well as within other species. For example, decreasing the number of coyotes in a given area can cause them to reproduce at greater rates, increasing the population. Killing top predators like wolves in any given area will increase the number of prey animals within that ecosystem, which could have bleak and severe repercussions, such as eventually creating barren land on what was once our lush forests. This occurs when animals, whose populations are normally regulated by wolves, are permitted to live longer and reproduce prolifically. These animals, many of whom are herbivores, eat the grasses and trees within their ecosystem. The increase of animals consuming plant life in a given ecosystem eventually causes the death of vegetation in that area. When grasses and trees start disappearing, destroying the root system, riverbeds have nothing to support them and will collapse. With the slaughter of every wolf, this apocalyptic vision moves closer to becoming reality. Another myth perpetuated by trappers is that killing these animals helps control the spread of disease by killing the sickly, slow, and unhealthy. The obvious problem with this is that there is no way to ensure only the weak members of a species are trapped—there isn’t even a way to ensure the targeted species is the only one trapped! Steel-jaw legholds, Conibears, and snares kill indiscriminately. A third myth is the control of nuisance animals, or animals who have the unfortunate luck to come into contact with humans on a fairly regular basis, such as feral cats, opossums, raccoons, deer, squirrels, and rabbits. Because humans have built housing developments in their habitat, these animals are coming into people’s yards searching for food. Without considering why this is happening or exploring possible humane solutions, some people consider trapping and killing these sentient beings to be the best solution. Another nuisance animal, the coyote, is often trapped for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Very often, coyotes will venture out for their weekly hunt to discover a herd of livestock corralled in their hunting grounds. Taking advantage of this situation gets these animals labeled a nuisance, and the traps start covering the ground. Ranchers have many alternatives available to them for keeping predators at bay. High fencing, electricity, and guard animals are just a few examples. Before killing America’s natural predators, ranchers should consider humane alternatives. Click here for more information about livestock ranching and predator control. On a positive note, 88 countries have banned leghold traps because they consider them to be inhumane. However, only eight of our nation’s states have passed legislation regulating their use. Fur Factory Farms Back to top No discussion about the fur industry would be complete without exploring the brutality of fur farms. Animals farmed worldwide for their fur and skin include minks, foxes, chinchillas, lynxes, and companion animals such as hamsters, cats, and dogs. These animals live their painfully short lives in depressing conditions. Crammed into tiny cages stacked on top of each other, fur-bearing animals are unable to move freely or express actions they normally would in the wild, such as swimming. Animals confined on fur farms are fed meat byproducts unfit for human consumption, and drink water through systems that often freeze in the winter. The most common animal farmed for fur is the mink. Solitary by nature, minks suffer needlessly in these farms. Because they are accustomed to roaming free and do not form family units in the wild, minks exhibit neurotic behavior when confined in large numbers—they pace, circle, fight and have been known to become cannibalistic in cages. These animals maintain their wild mentality, and despite years of farming, have never been fully domesticated. The method of slaughter for fur farm animals is simply shocking. Because their worth is in their skin, fur farm animals must be killed in a way that will not harm their pelts. Small animals are crammed into air-tight boxes and poisoned with vehicular exhaust, which does not kill every animal. Animals unlucky enough to survive the poison are skinned alive. Animals who do not fit into small boxes are anally or vaginally electrocuted. Still others are suffocated, gassed, or beaten to death. In some countries, such as China, companion animals are farmed for their fur. Subjected to the same conditions as their wild comrades, dogs and cats are torturously slaughtered to provide fur for use in clothing, toys, and trim. Some dogs and cats still have collars on, indicating they were once someone’s pet. Often, dog and cat fur is intentionally mislabeled, leading the consumer to believe she is buying the fur of a different animal. For more information about dog and cat fur farming, click here. You Can Help Back to top - The simplest thing anyone can do to help these unnecessarily condemned creatures is to refrain from wearing fur or buying clothing from designers who use fur and stores that sell it.
- Get the word out! If you see someone wearing fur, give her the facts—let her know where it came from and the lives that were sacrificed for it.
- Contact legislators and tell them about the realities of this issue—ask them to support bans on trapping and U.S. fur farms.
- Lastly, consider humane alternatives to solve conflicts with wildlife.
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