Animals Used for Clothing

Fur

Fur obtained from abused animals is converted into garments, bags, purses, sandals, caps, gloves and other products typically seen at hill stations and Kashmir emporiums. Fur comes either from animals that were cruelly trapped in the wild or "farms" in which animals are specially bred to be killed.

Traps are laid in the forest only to be checked days or weeks later. Meanwhile, the trapped animal suffers terror, extreme pain, broken bones and starvation. Many trapped animals are killed by predators, while an estimated one out of four chews off their own limbs in a desperate attempt to escape. Traps often capture nonfur bearing animals, who are considered "trash" by the industry.

Animals raised on "farms" for fur suffer from confinement and are gassed, electrocuted, strangled and stomped and have their necks broken. Some of these methods are not 100 percent effective, and many animals "wake up" while being skinned. In India, rabbits were the first animal farmed for fur.

Alternatives to Fur

There are many garments and accessories made from synthetic materials that look and feel like fur but do not support the cruelty of the fur industry.