the fur trade

I support land rent because it attacks all the world's problems at their source: economic injustice. However, some of the world's problems are so urgent that they demand immediate action, even if it distracts from the long term message. One such evil is the fur trade. If fur is harvested in a humane way, I have no problem with it. But some fur is not. This is from an interview in New Scientist, 18 June 2005, p.22, concerning fur in Britain that comes from China. The full report is here.

On the farms we found animals in barren cages with floor area averaging 0.6 square metres, 25 per cent smaller than the European Union's recommended minimum. We also found animals exhibiting extreme fear and signs of self-mutilation. But of most concern was the way they were slaughtered. Animals were being stunned with a blunt object or swung by their hind legs head-first against the ground. Many animals were fully conscious while being skinned, and remained so for up to 10 minutes after all their skin had been removed.

It is hard to think of anything more horrific - not just the manner of death, but the life that leads up to it. Fur comes from mammals - creatures with similar brain structures and hence feelings to our own. A life of blind fear then being skinned alive? It makes simple starvation pale in comparison.

What angers me most is that western buyers pay for this, but deny it. I spent most of my life in a religious cult, so I understand denial. Everyone does it. Some things are just too uncomfortable, so we ignore them, or we construct elaborate justifications to let us deny that we are involved, or to make the bad seem good. But it is still denial. It just allows the bad things to continue.

I now donate each month to Care For The Wild International. There are other charities who fight against this evil. I urge everyone to examine their priorities and ask what other uses of your money are more important?