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Fur Farms
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In many cases, individuals who wear fur try to justify their actions by claiming their coat was made from animals killed on a ranch, as opposed to animals that suffered for days in a steel jaw leghold trap (leghold trap). There is a misconception that ranch raised fur is "humane". Unfortunately, there is nothing humane about depriving these animals from their behavioral and physiological needs. Fur farming is nothing more than institutionalized torture.
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So why is fur farming so wrong? It is important to know which species are raised and killed on fur farms. Of the 31 million animals killed on fur ranches each year, about twenty-six million are mink and 4.5 million are fox. In addition, 250,000 chinchillas, 150,000 sable, 100,000 fitch, 100,000 raccoon dogs (a separate species from the American raccoon), and a small number of lynx, bobcat, and nutria are fur farmed.
The mink is a semi-aquatic predator native to North America. Mink are very solitary creatures who spend a substantial portion of their day swimming in the water. Mink are very inquisitive, and have a range of 2- ½ miles. This is an active species and does not adapt well to life in a cage.
The mink raised on fur farms are genetically wild. Up until the 1930's, fur farmers were still adding wild mink into their breeding programs. Domestication takes thousands of years, and the constant influx of wild genes kept the process from truly getting underway for quite some time.
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On fur farms, mink are deprived that adequate space needed because they are kept in cages averaging 10" wide by 24" long. Sometimes the cages are a couple of inches wider, or a couple of inches shorter. Either way, this is not adequate space for any animal, much less one such as the mink.
This sort of intensive confinement has severe psychological implications. Ranch mink engage in neurotic behavior. Many will move back and forth in the same repetitive motion for extended periods of time. This is called a stereotype pattern.
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Because mink are kept in such cramped conditions causing an increase in stress, many ranch mink
develop stomach ulcers and enlarged adrenal glands. This is a sign of chronic stress. The fur industry conducted their own tests in hopes to prove that ranch mink are not stressed. In their studies, young mink are used before they can develop stomach ulcers. The results of these inaccurate tests are used to "prove" that intensive confinement does not affect the mink. It is understood how the public is misinformed about the truth on fur farms with the release of such deceptive tests.
Tail biting is a form of self-mutilation that is common in captive mink populations. Self-mutilation is a hardship for fur farmers because it devalues the animal's fur pelt. Mink are killed after their winter coat reaches prime to cover many of the flaws in the fur. This is recognized as an unfortunate cost of conducting business. Large pens would reduce the amount of self-mutilation, but the additional space would increase overhead costs. It is more cost-effective for the industry to cram more animals into a smaller space, and deal with the occasional stress related death or self-mutilation
This semi-aquatic animal does not get a chance to swim in water if born on a fur farm. The lack of exposure to swimming in water is believed to increase behavioral problems in ranch mink. In the summer time, a wild mink might take a dip in a pond to cool off. Denied that option, many ranch mink die from heat related diseases in the hot summer months. Some years, as many as 10% of a fur farms stock may die from heat related conditions.
As fashion trends change, so does fur farming. Fur farmers utilize selective inbreeding to encourage the development of mutant color phases to meet the whims of fashion. This process led to the development of white, gray, mahogany, and shades of blue mink. This style of genetic manipulation does not only change the mink's hair color, but it creates physiological problems as well.
For Example, the Hedlund white mink is a genetic mutant that was created on a fur farm. This mutated animal will lose her hearing at 30 days of age because of a genetic defect. The Royal Pastel mink often develops what farmers call a "screw neck" deformity. With this deformity, the mink will turn her head in an awkward motion repeatedly.
The Blue Iris mink has a weakened immune system due to a deficiency of natural killer cells, and one strain of demi-mink has a stress syndrome. These unfortunate characteristics make life dreadful for these mink. This type of mutilation is non-existent in the wild, but very standard on fur farms.
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Life for ranch-raised fox is not any more promising. Fox farms have very serious problem with cannibalism. Fox in cramped living conditions often resort to cannibalism as a result of a stressed induced environment.
It is estimated that fox farmers will lose 20 % of their animals prematurely. Half of those deaths result from cannibalism.
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Animals on fur farms are not able to engage in their natural behavior. These animals are treated like machines and commodities rather than living creatures with emotions. The suffering and death stems for the simple purpose of creating a luxury garment that serves no practical purpose. It is unclear of how fur wearers can love and cherish one canine, such as their companion dog, while supporting the torture and death of another canine, the fox.
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Fox farming is now banned in Holland and all of the fox farms must close by 2004. As of January 1st, 2000 fox farming will be illegal in Sweden. Austria does not have any fox farms as a result of animal friendly legislation, and the United Kingdom banned fur farming in December 2000 as well. This clearly indicates that there is a very serious concern for the welfare of animals in intensive confinement.
Death for these animals is a horror story. The most common method used for killing foxes is anal electrocution.
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Mink are usually gassed or violently injected with poison. Many just have their necks broken or are asphixiated. An undercover investigation found that some minks are killed with weed killers, which can cause the animals to convulse for up to 10 minutes before death.
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The chinchilla industry proudly admits that most chinchillas are killed by neck breaking or electrocution. Many chinchilla farmers hook one metal clamp to the ear, and another to her genitalia to implement the electrocution of this poor creature.
The chinchilla is small, and it takes as many as 100 of them to die in order to make a single full-length fur coat. The fur trade calls this "humane".
The truth about the fur industry will prevail despite any attempts to minimize the suffering and pain that occurs to animals.
For more information on fur farms:
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