Canada Goose has recently announced its decision to go fur-free, joining prominent brands like Stella McCartney, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Versace, and big retailers such as Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy’s that have already made the ethical pledge. Canada Goose will stop purchasing fur in 2021 and will stop manufacturing products made with fur by the end of 2022.
Fur trim, small pieces of fur used to line winter coats and construct keychains and other trinkets, is one of the biggest drivers of the fur trade. Despite the seemingly small amount of fur used to make these items, multiple animals may be killed to create the lining on one coat. The decision by Canada Goose to go fur-free will save the lives of thousands of coyotes who will no longer perish in cruel traps for the sake of their inventory, though trapping will continue in North America so long as it remains legal to capture and kill animals in this manner.
Trapping Regulations Are Lax
Trapping is highly unregulated and enables cruel practices to flourish. Trappers take part in this cruel practice for a variety of reasons, including for commercial fur trade, as a method of “nuisance wildlife control,” and simply for recreation – for fun. The types of traps used, accessibility to traps, killing methods, and trap monitoring regulations are largely unenforced and result in animals suffering with their throats or limbs ensnared for days. The trapped animals often perish due to exposure, dehydration, starvation, drowning, infection related to injuries caused by the trap, and/or self-mutilation done in attempts to free themselves.
Despite numerous investigations documenting these atrocities, both the United States and Canada fail to implement legislation that prevents these dire outcomes. In the United States, just 35 states require traps to be checked every 24 hours, while the remaining states allow longer times to elapse between trap checks. Further, if a trapped animal survives until the trapper returns for retrieval, they must endure death by clubbing, shooting, suffocating, or drowning. Troublingly, trapping is permitted within 38% of land included in the National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses more than 11 million acres of public land and provides home to numerous threatened and endangered species. Non-targeted animals, including pets, have fallen victim to traps on these lands. Between 2010 and 2020, Born Free documented 267 trapping incidents involving unintended animals. The proximity of trapping locations to trails also puts nearby children, hikers, and others at risk.
Little Is Required for Trappers to Obtain Licenses and Buy Traps
All U.S. states except California and Hawaii allow trapping by private citizens for both recreational and commercial purposes. These states have a corresponding licensing system, although in many cases, recreational trapping does not require any license whatsoever. Further, 22 states have no education requirements for people looking to obtain trapping licenses, meaning many new trappers are untrained and ill informed.
This lack of oversight and regulation extends to the commercial marketplace for traps. Most online stores that advertise traps for sale, including Amazon and eBay, make no effort to ensure that trap buyers purchase traps legally. Certain traps are also available for purchase online that enable illegal activities, such as bear trapping.
A Federal Response Is Needed
Born Free USA cheers Canada Goose’s compassionate decision to go fur-free. This is a major win for wildlife and the product of years of hard work by animal welfare organizations, campaigners, and activists. But, because trapping is used for wildlife control and recreation, as well as in the commercial trade in fur, it is not enough for companies to go fur-free. We need federal-level legislation that would ban trapping across the U.S.
There are significant regulatory shortcomings and severe lack of oversight in regard to trapping in the United States, making it painfully apparent that regulating trapping to create a more “humane” or “controlled” trapping environment is impossible. The Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act would prohibit trapping within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Born Free USA has championed this legislation for years and we are currently working with Congressional partners to reintroduce the bill in the current Congress. Passing this legislation is a necessary first step towards our ultimate goal of banning trapping across the country.
Please join our email list and follow us on social media to be the first to know when this bill is reintroduced and how to take action to support it.
Keep Wildlife in the Wild,
Devan
