# Fur Is Dead!



## THE JESUS STRANGLER (May 1, 2006)

_Problem-Solution paper. . .



_ 




               It’s early in the evening on a weeknight. Jennifer Lopez is on T.V. talking about her new clothing line, her runway models, fashion shows, and of course, her lucrative $35,000 fur coat that is keeping her warm on this chilly night. It is a nice coat, you observe, very luxurious looking. You notice the soft, smooth white fur and how it rises to her neck, forming a collar perfect for keeping her face nice and warm. It doesn’t look too threatening. That is, until one day when you happen to pass by a show on T.V. depicting an innocent fox getting its neck snapped by a farmer, then skinned for its fur. A shot of a mink being injected with lethal poison accompanys the previous slaughter. Hundreds of cages filled with small animals tightly packed inside. Next, footage of fur being traded all across the world and being used as a fashion statement for models and the more opulent consumers. The torture of helpless animals for exotic clothing?

_“Eighty-five percent of the fur industry’s skins come from animals living captive in fur factory farms_.” (“Inside the Fur Industry”) According to another source, over thirty million animals are confined to cages each year to live a short life accompanied for a painful death at a location known as a “fur farm.” (http://files.hsus.org..) 

   Since at least 1860 fur trappers have slaughtered innocent animals to accumulate wealth and create fashion items such as beaver hats and other seemingly stunning wardrobes, most of these rigorous processes taking place at the fur farms. These farms can hold thousands of animals, with Denmark being the top fur farming industry in the world. Sixty-four percent of fur farms are in Northern Europe, 11 percent are stationed in North America, and the rest are spread throughout the world in countries such as Russia and Argentine.

   Some farmers will kill small animals by twisting the neck until it cracks, while many fox usually suffer via anal electrocution. A mink, the most farmed fur-bearing animal, usually suffers a fast death of poison injection, but may also be subjected to beatings with clubs or stabbed. Before these animals meet their ultimate fate and purpose, they live a short life in a small cage jam packed with others of their species. Because of the suppression of the environment, many develop erratic behaviors. Minks suffer obsessive-compulsive disorder and other stereotypic behaviors such as self-mutilation and cannibalism.

_“_*When the fur is finally peeled off over the animals' heads, their naked, bloody bodies are thrown onto a pile of those who have gone before them. Some are still alive, breathing in ragged gasps and blinking slowly. Some of the animals' hearts are still beating five to 10 minutes after they are skinned. One investigator recorded a skinned raccoon dog on the heap of carcasses who had enough strength to lift his bloodied head and stare into the camera.**”(http://furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms/) **Not only does this take place, because many animals are caged in such a small area, this can lead to dire environmental consequences as well.*

*Seems like a lot of trouble to stay warm when your country is at war for oil so you can conveniently enjoy warmth in the comforts of a home. Many celebrities, most recently and notoriously notable Jennifer Lopez, lavish in the comfort and style made possible by this fur trade. She, like many, find pleasure wearing real fur. On the other hand, many people find these practices immoral and just plain heinous, as several anti-animal cruelty groups have came into fruition the last couple of years. Many are appalled that some would condone the slaughter of innocent helpless animals in order to bask in the comfort and extravagant look of the animals fur, and even worse that manufacturers would indulge in profit from these sales. Some companies sell their fur clothing for up to $70,000 or more! To many, this practice of animal killing for money and look has been completely deprived of moral.*

*Would you kill your dog or another beloved pet for the sake of sporting its fur? Why not? Does it seem kind of gross? Inhumane? How is this any different from the destruction of a fox, or perhaps even a ferret? *

*Fortunately, there is a solution to this holocaust of animal cruelty. With all of the alternatives to real fur, it is amazing that these abominable acts still take place. Many manufacturers produce “faux,” also known as “fake fur.” This fake fur is extremely similar to the real thing in texture, appearance and insulation quality. Why anyone would like to wear a dead tortured animal over their back when they can wear something almost identical in appearance without all of the cruelty is besides me.*

*Destroying millions of animals a year and distributing finalized products after these executions is completely irrational when one considers the alternatives. Fake fur coats and purses and other items can be just as rewarding as the real thing, and much more socially acceptable. Through groups advocating these practices the fur trade industry has dropped drastically. Sales in real fur are declining as people rationalize the reality and absurdity of the situation, as sales in artificial fur are increasing. *

*Through the aid of anti-animal cruelty groups and the continued displeasure of what is known about fur trade, in the near future a law may be passed in the United States forbidding the killing of fur-bearing caged animals, and fur imports may be abolished.  Not only that, but by not purchasing fur-bearing products, the fur trading industry will continue to collapse. Another thing people can do is share the information they know with others, making them aware of the intolerable acts done to animals on earth. *

*Even if the practice of fur trade and the donning of dead animals is never fully resolved, with the continued support and realization of the abhorrent situation, and with faux fur being continually produced and sold, the slaughter of animals to be used as fur won’t seem as appealing to people anymore.*

*The innate greed of humans for money, power, or just appearance has been the cause of death for many innocent creatures. This is no different. If people come together and unite for a cause, even if this problem cannot be completely abolished, a dramatic decrease in the execution of animals for fur is better than nothing at all. With fake fur alternatives amongst other things, I see no reason at all why someone would need to be so greedy as to wear destroyed animals over their shoulders to look good and conservative. When you get right down to it, nothing about wearing a skinned animal is conservative at all. As a matter of fact, it’s just plain sick.*






*Works Cited*​ ​ ​ *Fur Is Dead- www.furisdead.com*​ ​ *Inside The Fur Industry: Factory Farms- http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=56*​ ​ *Fur Farming- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fur_farm*​ ​ *Caged Fur: The Inside Story- http://files.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/WILD_Caged_Fur_The_Inside_Story.pdf*​ ​


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## Karl Himmelreich (May 1, 2006)

Hi,

I love animals and hate to seem them suffer, but to be a little more convincing I think your piece needs just a bit of work – but maybe not so much!

It is great to be passionate, but using phrases like “*it’s just plain sick*” I don’t think helps your case….In my opinion it detracts from your argument; issues are almost always more complex than being plainly one thing or another and by simplifying them into a single emotional term I as a reader kind of feel betrayed.

Personally, I think there is nothing wrong with wearing fur per-say (spelling?) what is wrong is the needless suffering of the animals to produce that fur…If you can convince me that it is not possible to produce fur items without unnecessary suffering, then I think your piece would be stronger. 
Humans have always used other animals as a resource – I don’t think that is “just plain sick” – it is part of our heritage…Growing up on a farm, we killed an ate sheep/cattle. Sometimes I tanned their hides to made a rug, which seemed less wasteful than having them rot. Had I made a garment instead, I would not have thought it sick.

*$70,000 or more!* $35,000 fur coat

Wow! That is expensive… …..These prices are interesting, but your piece did not convince me why it makes the trade any more immoral…in fact it is a good thing for the animals, if the coats were $35 the demand would be a lot greater.

Again, you may be able to convince me otherwise, but I don’t see wearing fur to be such a bad thing - but I certainly agree the suffering of the animals is bad…
Similarly, I don’t see eating eggs as a bad thing, but I don’t think the suffering of battery hens is right…
To strengthen your argument, I think you need to either convince me that wearing fur is wrong under any circumstance, or else acknowledge that it is only (not to belittle it) the suffering you object too…I hope that makes sense to you!


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## THE JESUS STRANGLER (May 1, 2006)

It is the suffering of animals in order to use their skin for clothes. An alternative, to help stop the torture of the animals, would be to wear fur coats instead. Therefore nothing gets killed.


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## THE JESUS STRANGLER (May 1, 2006)

To be completely honest if this piece is pretty bad I'm not suprised at all. I had to write about this for my English class and I was thinking "I really don't give a fuck about this topic" once I started actually thinking about what I was writing. I'm, really not too concerned about animal curelty or fur or whatever so it's kind of hard to sound passionjate and accurate about these ideas that were presented.


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## Karl Himmelreich (May 1, 2006)

I do not say it was pretty bad at all....I just offered some thought that I thought would improve it...

But you are not concerned about the topic or the peice, I wont offer an more thoughts on it...


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