Should animals be raised and slaughtered for fur?
Over the past decade, fur has graced the fashion industry. The economy of Russia and China has shown increased demand for fur for their developing economies. China, which is considered the leading producer of mink pelt, has since noted the significance of fur trade to its economy and is seeking to advance the business. In 2016 two thirds of the women’s fashion collections were made of fur. Despite the animal welfare movement in the 1990s, there are still several animals that are being reared and slaughtered for fur. Some of the animals that are at high risk are the minks and the fox. In 2014 nearly 95 million foxes and minks were killed for fur. Each year animals are either reared or trapped for fur.
The fur trade is, however, controversial. Fashion collections don’t need to be made of fur. There are other options, aside from killing innocent animals for fur. This Is an unnecessary and cruel business. Anyone that is involved with fur trade would even be ashamed even to mention. These traders slaughter animals to satisfy the fur market. This is so cruel since humans gain power, wealth, and comfort while animals are suffering. Although most of the fur industry workers argue that we that love animals are against fur trade because we are not aware of what happens in the slaughterhouses, the business is still inhumane. The fur trade is like a devil that wants to look beautiful and glamorous by inflicting pain on others. I think that fur looks much better on animals than models and should remain with their original owners. The fashion industry should devise another trend that makes the model look good without inflicting pain on others.
Every year atleast 31 million animals are raised in farms for fur. Minks are usually about 26 million, foxes 4 million, and the remaining include the raccoon dogs and the chinchillas. Genetically, minks and foxes are wild animals. Therefore confining them is depriving them of their natural environment. These animals are caught for fur either through trapping or rearing them. Trapping is much better than rearing because atleast animals get to enjoy natural habitats whole lives before death. Although trapping can be horrifying by subjecting the animal to suffering pain, fear, and hunger as they try to escape from the trap, atleast they have lived a meaningful life in the wild. Before they were trapped, they were free animals residing in their genetically designed habitats. Even though they end up dying, they are not like the farm-reared animals. These animals suffer most if not all, their lives. They are trapped in a small cage that is not naturally meant, and their killing must be a relief to them. They continuously fear humans and are not comfortable in their cages.
Animals that are reared are usually exposed to limited active selection except for their fur. Mink, for instance, are wild semi-aquatic animals that are naturally adapted to being on the water. Therefore, confining them would be denying them what they are naturally adapted to the environment. This denies them social interactions, movement, and adequate space. Normally, minks that grow up wildly in the natural environment move approximately in three squared kilometers. Those who are reared for farming are, however, caged in 0.5 meters squared. This is against what the animal welfare would recommend. An animal will have poor health when their normal biological functioning is compromised. This is noted mostly in caged minks who experience prolonged frustrations because of the limited space. These frustrations result in both physiological and behavioral changes as the animal seeks to adapt to the new environment. Minks, for instance, become unresponsive, extremely fearful, and depict abnormal behaviors such as self-mutilation. High levels of stress break down the animal and result in an immune decline. Aside from that, the animal may also develop neurotic behaviors such as moving back and forth in the cage.
When an animal is confined in a cage where he is not allowed to run, climb, or even swim like he would have done in the natural environment, it results in boredom. When the animal is bored, they tend to start bitting their tails and chewing their fur. Compared to other farm animals, the ones farmed for their fur are more prone to fear and stress primarily when handled by humans. This kind of species has had less opportunity to adapt to farm conditions. They are not able to express all the behaviors they would have in the wild. The main aim of the welfare advocates, therefore, ensuring that animals are naturally comfortable in their habitats.
The main goal of campaigning against rearing animals for fur is to prevent any unnecessary suffering for the animals. Looking at the issue deeply, we don’t need fur clothes and accessories. This, therefore, makes rearing animals for fur immoral. The fur is luxury and is not required for primary use by human beings. Thus causing suffering for animals to gain luxury and power is beyond unethical. Just like children, animals are innocent, and they do not have the consent to decide what should be done to them.it is, therefore, the duty of humans to protect them from predators. The law should be able to protect those who are weak and vulnerable from exploitation, and animals are not an exception. Just like humans suffer both physical, emotional pain and mental, so do animals too when they are subjected to high levels of frustrations. Animal rights state that both the instincts and needs of an animal should be considered. However, the fur industry operates in such a way that it conflicts with the natural needs of the animal.
Another sector of the fur industry that tortures animals for fur is the slaughterhouses. It is believed that most animals are subjected to pain and suffering as they end their lives in orders to extract fur. Minks, for instance, are killed by the use of carbon dioxide. Thirty to fifty minks are confines in a box and exposed to carbon dioxide—this very inhuman way of killing them. In the box, if, for instance, the minks don’t die or become unconscious fast, they experience distress and suffocation before they are finally dead. This is a cruel way of killing an innocent animal for fur, which isn’t even necessary. Other slaughterhouses kill them by squeezing their necks or striking them until they die. Some of them are skimmed alive, which is a cruel way of doing it. If, for instance, humans were to be skinned alive like they are doing to the animals, how much pain are they causing to them?
Foxes, on the other side, are electrocuted. Electrodes are placed on the moth, and in the rectum, then-current is induced immediately. This is known to cause unconsciousness quickly. It results in cardiac arrest, which causes immediate brain dysfunction. Even though the fur industry argues that their ways meet the required standards, it is still in humans and ends the life of an innocent animal. Over the past few years, the welfare teams have come up with protocols that uphold the welfare of animals. This reduces the suffering and frustrations of animals in their habitats by ensuring that they live in an environment that is in line with their ecological adaptation. There is always an assumption that there is torture in the fur trade. Most protesters against the fur trade believe that there is no justification for animal consumption by humans because they think it only doesn’t require a man to kill for food. Most animal production is undertaken for personal pleasure and not for their need.
China, which is considered the leading producer of mink pelt, has an unregulated industry. According to them, the animals are for economic gains. Even though the fur industries work in conjunction with the environment and agricultural sectors, animal welfare has never been a topic of discussion. They view animals as a tool that humans should use to gain income. Developing animal welfare programs has never been a priority. According to Chinese law, production is all that matters. This is a very wild and cruel way of treating animals. They are the devil that gains power and money by making animals suffer.
Fur trade and the use of live animals for experiments are similar. Some people can be so cruel that they inflict pain on animals without putting them in an unconscious state. These are heartless people pursuing heartless science. One unique thing with the fur industry is that the production industry is cruel, but the end product is costly. This a brutal way that the fur industry uses in the exploitation of wild animals to produce luxurious items. It is easy to justify evil actions for something necessary for human survival. It is also easy to explain a beautiful thing that was not a result of suffering. Justifying suffering whose final result is a luxury is very wrong. Why would someone even think of inflicting pain only for pleasure or money? This is how unique the fur trade is illegal.
Over the past few years, the welfare team has developed standards for assessment of the animal’s welfare. Welfare, for instance, applauds that the well-being of an animal depends on its health, housing, behavior, and feeding of the animal. If an animal is free, can move from one place to another, and socially interact with others, the welfare is considered excellent. Poor health is when the animal is subject to high levels of stress by confining them like in the fur industry. High levels of stress and frustrations make the animal develop irrational behaviors. This can even lead to the immune decline and eventual death of an animal. Wild animals are essential, and they should, therefore, be protected. The government should come up with policies that barn the fur production industry. The natural environment is vital, so as the wild animals, if we encourage exploitation of such animals sooner or later, they will be faced out. Therefore, punitive measures should be put in place to avoid further exploitation even as the fur industry argues that their trade leads to the growth of the economy, which is more important than life. Animals should not be exploited for economic gains. They should not be reared and slaughtered for fur. Fur looks good in animals than in clothing and accessories.
Conclusion
In conclusion, animals are essential in the elements of the environment. Human beings should treat animals the way they treat fellow human beings. It is cruel and unnecessary that animals are being reared and slaughtered for fur, which is superfluous. The fur is a luxury and not a basic need for human survival; thus, it is considered unnecessary and not worth torturing animals. I think fur looks good more in animals than in models. The fashion industry can still do well with the absence of fur clothing and accessories. The economy on the other side can also grow without thew fur trade, so it is unnecessary. Keeping animals for fur is like living a glamorous lifestyle where you get everything that you want while others are suffering. It is an inhuman act that most fur industry should consider quitting the business. Even though the welfare team has set standards for assessing the animal’s welfare, it still doesn’t add value since why would animals live a worthy life only for them to be finally killed. Poor welfare standards like confining the animals in small cages should be done away with. Animals should be released to the natural habitats where they have adequate space and can move freely and interact with other animals. No animal should be reared and slaughtered for fur. in a nutshell, suffering should not be inflicted for luxury or power gain.