In Defense of Animals Urges Holiday Shoppers to Go Fur-Free

Hundreds will march through downtown Portland Friday to share message of compassion

www.furkills.org

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, more than 200 animal lovers are expected to participate in a peaceful, police-escorted march in downtown Portland to celebrate Fur Free Friday. Holiday shoppers will be greeted by throngs of spirited activists carrying signs including a 10 foot banner with images of fur-bearing animals that reads, "Thanks for not buying fur." The "Radical Cheerleaders" will perform for passersby along a route that passes all Portland stores that still sell fur.

Portland activists will be joined by thousands of people in more than 100 cities around the world for this day of outreach, urging shoppers to avoid buying items with fur or fur trim. In Defense of Animals (IDA) coordinates Fur Free Friday worldwide and IDA’s Northwest office coordinates the Portland event.

Many of the demonstrations will occur outside Nordstrom stores. IDA is urging Nordstrom to become the first department store to go completely fur-free. Fur Free Friday will also feature an online, “virtual” appeal to Nordstrom.

Over 45 million animals are now confined in small cages on fur farms, waiting to be killed by pelt-preserving methods such as electrocution, gassing, or neck-breaking. Another five million are caught in traps each year, often chewing off their limbs to escape, especially mothers desperate to return to their young. The fur industry is completely self-regulated, and no federal laws exist to protect animals killed for their fur.

“In the fur industry, the only thing worse than the manner in which animals are killed is the way they live,” said IDA Northwest Director Matt Rossell, who worked undercover on a fur farm. “There is no room for this type of suffering and violence for vanity. Any way you sell it, package it, dye it, trim it or cut it – fur is unnecessary and cruel.”

Popular designers including Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein, and Juicy Couture have pledged to go fur-free, and retail chains H & M, JCrew, and Forever 21 have permanently halted their sale of fur. Recent victories leading up to this year’s Fur Free Friday include a pledge by the Escada fashion company to be fur-free in 2011, and draft legislation that may soon ban fur in Israel. For more information about IDA’s anti-fur campaign, please visit: www.FurKills.org.

Source: In Defense of Animals - idausa.org