Humane Holiday Shopping Guide

It’s official: the holiday hullabaloo has begun! Throughout the autumn months, simply turning on the television or taking a stroll through a local mall means being inundated with celebratory songs, festive decorations, and advertisements promoting that “special something for a special someone.”
[teaserbreak] As you consider what gifts to buy for your loved ones, it’s important to remember the power you hold as a consumer, not just during the holidays, but all year long. By shopping with your compassionate values on your mind and in your heart, you can truly make a difference in the lives of animals!

For retailers, the period leading up to the December holidays is the most eagerly anticipated time of year. They wait with bated breath to learn where you, the almighty consumer, will bestow your hard-earned dollars, and which companies and industries will receive your financial vote of confidence.

Born Free USA wants to help you advocate for the animals through your purchases and send a clear message to the marketplace. Read on to learn how to make this holiday season a humane one for all living beings.

Foregoing Fur

Did you think that fur was only marketed to and worn by the wealthy or the old-fashioned? Think again!

Sadly, fur is more pervasive than ever in the fashion landscape. In addition to traditional-looking fur garments, fur is also more frequently appearing in some unusual places, colors, and shapes.

There was a time when fur was primarily a product of haute couture. These days, however, the fur industry is making a concerted effort to reach out to new markets, to present an “edgy” look, to make its products more attractive to young people — to, in its own words, “democratize” fur.

Such efforts may be paying off. Even though your grandmother’s fur is no longer in vogue, fur still adorns the pages of Vogue, as well as countless catalog pages and store shelves from coast to coast.

An article in the New York Times, for example, noted the ubiquity of fur on fashion-show runways, and how the fur frequently appeared in forms that were a far cry from that of the familiar, full-length fur coat. The article remarked on the many novel ways designers incorporated fur into their clothes, including the appearance of a “grass-green fox jacket,” “Big Bird fur,” and a “fur collar spreading across the shoulders like a slightly haywire toupee.”¹ Fur is now frequently dyed bright colors or is made to mimic exotic animal patterns; it may be braided or beaded to give it a unique texture, or shorn down to imitate the feel of a soft velvet fabric. And even a cursory look at magazines aimed at young, fashion-conscious consumers shows that fur — particularly fur trim — makes plenty of appearances in both advertisements and fashion layouts.

All this is no doubt pleasing to the fur industry. Alan Herscovici, Vice President of the Fur Counsel of Canada, has talked openly about wanting “to attract a younger, hipper consumer,”² and has praised designers who have “re-interpreted” fur, making it “lighter, sportier and more colourful.”³

But no matter how it’s dyed or cut, fur is still the product of a cruel, unnecessary industry that brings suffering and death to astonishing numbers of animals. For example, furriers eagerly await the results of Canada’s seal “cull.” In 2003, the Canadian government announced that it would permit the clubbing and shooting of close to one million baby harp seals over the next three years. Coincidentally, according to a 2004 BBC Online report, “Seal skin is back in fashion … [and] this year the emphasis is on youth.”⁴

Meanwhile, millions of animals, including foxes, minks, and nutria, are held captive in grim conditions in fur farms across the globe before being slaughtered. And the barbaric practice of trapping animals to transform their pelts into products continues to this day.

No market, however, can profit without customers, so the power ultimately rests in your hands. Sales figures reveal consumer preferences, and you can send a powerful message to the marketplace by only patronizing those stores that choose to operate completely fur-free. You can also make a concerted effort to give and dress compassionately, and to forego items containing even the smallest bit of fur trim.

Let the fur industry know that you see through its marketing ploys. Tell it that as much as it would like us to believe that the hot pink slippers with a furry ruff are “cute and cuddly,” we cannot be so easily fooled. No matter how they’re cut or what color they’re dyed, those “adorable” slippers were made by killing living, breathing animals.

Born Free USA will be right beside you in the fight against fur. In addition to consumer education, we will continue our aggressive efforts to push for stricter fur labeling laws, to ban cruel traps and fur factory farms, and to encourage retailers to renounce this unnecessary product not just for the season, but forever.

Remember: While style may be fickle, compassion is always in fashion!

What You Can Do:

• Only purchase from those retailers that have agreed to sell no fur or fur-trimmed items.
• Make sure any trim is faux fur before you make a purchase. Don’t assume that because it is less expensive that is not real fur. (For information on discriminating between real fur and faux, see Buyer Beware!)
• As you shop this holiday season, if you see fur in a store or catalog, write Born Free USA and let us know. We will contact these retailers on your behalf and ask them to make a pledge not to sell fur. You can also report “Fur Sightings” on Born Free USA’s fur and trapping website, www.BanCruelTraps.com. Several companies identified on our website as purveyors of fur have contacted Born Free USA and have agreed in writing to remove their fur items — all because of their keen desire for your business!
• Thank those companies that refuse to sell fur by giving them your business. Let them know you chose to patronize their store because of their compassionate stance on fur.

Pet Shop Prisons

What’s a better gift than an adorable new friend from a pet store? Just about anything!

Pet shops purposely target warm-hearted passersby by placing irresistible “inventory” — puppies, kittens, rabbits, and birds — on prominent display. Few consumers realize, however, that by patronizing a store that sells animals, they are supporting profit-driven exploitation.

The fact is, in a retail environment, animals must be viewed as commodities in order for the store to realize a profit. But animals are living, feeling beings that should never be treated like mere merchandise.

Some animals are shipped to pet stores over long distances, which can be intensely stressful and can cause illness and injury to the animals before they reach the sales floor. In recognition of this fact, many pet stores have “Dead-On-Arrival” allowances built into their budget to cover monetary losses resulting from deliveries of dead or otherwise unsalable animals. Some pet stores claim that they hold their suppliers accountable for the condition of animals by refusing shipments of sick or injured animals. But is it really ethical to send such animals back to the supplier like “damaged goods,” rather than providing them with veterinary care and finding them homes?

To make matters worse, animals housed in retail pet facilities are not afforded protection by the federal Animal Welfare Act (legislation passed in 1966 and amended in 1970, 1976, 1985, 1990, and 2002 that extends protection to certain warm-blooded animals maintained by particular animal dealers, transporters, exhibitors, and research facilities). In the absence of federal regulation, each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia has enacted its own anti-cruelty statutes with variable degrees of protection offered to animals.

To date, 24 states have enacted laws that establish some form of humane care standards for animals kept at pet shops. The quality and the scope of these laws vary from state to state, as does enforcement. For example, only five states (Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Hampshire, Virginia) specifically require that sick or injured animals receive veterinary care. And while 14 states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia) and the District of Columbia prohibit the sale of some unweaned animals (animals too young to feed themselves), most limit the restriction to puppies and kittens under the age of eight weeks, and only one state (California, in a bill sponsored by Born Free USA) restricts the sale of unweaned birds, despite the serious animal welfare concerns associated with this practice.

Many of the laws that do exist do not go far enough in defining “cruelty.” Animal welfare organizations frequently receive reports of incidents involving substandard care of animals in pet shops. Unfortunately, too often conditions that seem cruel and inappropriate do not actually violate any laws of the state in which the store is located. Moreover, many complaints come from employees or other individuals who “don’t want to get too involved”; yet without their direct testimony or evidence in the form of photographs, videotape, or other witnesses, such situations will likely go unnoticed by the appropriate enforcement agencies. Sadly, even if violations are reported to law enforcement agencies, too few are adequately investigated or result in charges being filed.

The care of animals in pet shops should always be suspect, as store managers are often faced with conflicting responsibilities of tending to the store’s bottom line while also caring for animals — even when the animals are sick. The cost of veterinary care can easily exceed the commercial value of an animal. In a retail environment, profits and animal care inherently conflict.

For some animals, suffering and risk do not end at the point of sale. Individuals who purchase animals in pet stores often do so out of impulse, without fully understanding the commitment required to provide lifelong care for the animal. Only one state (California) requires that information on the care and feeding of animals sold be supplied by pet stores to purchasers. As a result of human irresponsibility, thousands of animals are surrendered to local shelters and rescues each year, only to be destroyed due to a lack of space, funds, and adoptive homes. Moreover, many species sold by pet stores require specialized care that very few people are capable of providing — leading to a lifetime of suffering for the animals.

If you are considering acquiring a companion animal for a loved one as a gift, first be sure that the intended recipient is truly prepared to commit to caring for the animal. Then, make the compassionate choice: Rather than purchasing an animal from a pet shop, adopt one from a shelter or rescue group. These animals — and the organizations that find them permanent, loving homes — need your support during the holiday season, and all year long!

What You Can Do:

• Support pet shops that do not sell live animals. Let Born Free USA know which pet shops in your area do not sell animals; we’ll send them a “Thank You” note and will let other advocates know where they can shop for companion animal supplies without compromising their conscience. Email store information to us at advocacy@bornfreeusa.org or call 916-447-3085 x210.
• Ask the major pet store retail chains to stop selling animals. Tell them to assist customers in finding companion animals through referral, and by working with animal rescue groups and humane societies instead of treating living beings like mere merchandise. The major U.S. pet retail chains include:

PETCO, which operates more than 570 stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia. It sells birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and small mammals, including rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

Contact:

Brian K. Devine, Chair and CEO
PETCO
9125 Rehco Rd.
San Diego, CA 92121

PETsMART, Inc., which operates more than 560 outlets in the U.S. and Canada. It sells birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and small mammals, including rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

Contact:

Phil Francis, CEO
PETsMART
19601 North 27th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85027

Petland, which is a major retailer of puppies, kittens, birds, reptiles, fish, and small mammals, including rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits. It operates 123 stores in the U.S. and 57 foreign outlets.

Contact:

Petland Corporate Offices
250 Riverside Street
P.O. Box 1606
Chillicothe, OH 45601

While some people feel that consumerism plays too large a role in the holiday season, the tradition of “shopping till you drop” isn’t likely to fade anytime soon. Perhaps the best response, then, is to consume conscientiously.

After all, Webster’s Dictionary defines “consumerism” as “the promotion of the consumer’s interests.” Put a little differently, the way we spend our money communicates our beliefs, values, and interests. Share your vision of a cruelty-free world by shopping with compassion this holiday season and throughout the year.

Remember, with consumer power comes consumer responsibility. Please, shop wisely and compassionately. Born Free USA and the animals thank you!

Notes

1. Horyn, C. “In Milan, Elvis is royalty and Prada is queen.” New York Times, March 1, 2004, B:8.
2. “‘Democratization’ of fur: Women are whimsy, action or eclectic, says the Fur Council of Canada’s Alan Herscovici.” Fur World, April 29, 2002. www.furcommission.com/resource/perspect999be.htm.
3. Mason, P. “Sealskin fashion to boost Canada’s fur trade.” BBC News, May 11, 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3682191.stm.
4. Ibid.

Buyer Beware!

It’s shockingly easy for even the most well-intentioned shopper to purchase items containing fur in the mistaken belief that the fur is fake. Part of this confusion stems from a loophole in U.S. labeling law that prevents consumers from easily accessing product information.

In 2000, after an international investigation into the widespread slaughter of dogs and cats for the fur trade, Congress passed the Dog and Cat Protection Act, which made the import, export, transport, or sale of dog and cat fur illegal in the U.S. Unfortunately, the law left in place a pre-existing loophole. Only those fur items valued at more than $150 dollars have to be labeled as genuine fur and identify the species of origin. The result? Tremendous uncertainty in the marketplace, as it can be difficult even for retailers to differentiate real fur from faux.

The following tips can assist consumers who want to ensure that their purchases are indeed fur-free:

• Fake fur feels coarse to the touch; genuine fur is soft.
• Fake fur is made of hairs that appear to be the same length and color; real fur usually contains layers of hair of different lengths, shades, and textures.
• Fake fur is mounted on a base that could easily be perforated by a pin; in finished products, genuine fur remains attached to the animal’s skin, which remains resistant.
• Remember, even if fur is dyed bright colors, cut in unusual ways, or included on the most innocuous-seeming item, it may be “the real thing” — and the product of a really cruel industry!

The Doggie in the Window

What’s the real story about the countless animals sold in pet stores in retail centers across the nation? What kind of care do they need? Where do these animals come from? Are they treated well by the breeders, suppliers, and stores that view them as merchandise? Here’s what the “pet” retailers aren’t likely to tell you:

Birds

Very few people are capable of meeting the special needs of exotic birds, nor do they comprehend the seriousness of committing to care for birds for their entire life span, which can range from 20 to 70 years or more, depending on species. As a result, many birds spend their lives isolated and confined to their cages, bounced from home to home, or abandoned.

Breeding facilities that supply birds to pet stores often resemble little more than warehouses in which birds are held in barren cages for mass production.

Currently, more than 100 self-described bird rescues or sanctuaries operate in the U.S. Many of them have come into existence in the last few years to care for the influx of unwanted and abandoned birds. Selling more birds simply exacerbates this critical problem.

Reptiles

Many reptiles are imported from other countries for the pet trade. These animals may be wild-caught, born in captivity from wild-caught parents, or the offspring of reptiles held in captivity for one or two generations. Imported reptiles often suffer high mortality, but this is considered merely a cost of business. In a recent issue of Pet Product News, a reptile importer said of imported reptiles, “they are cheap and they’re stressed. Most of them are going to die. Baby ball pythons are another example of a cheap import. A lot of them never eat.”

Reptile breeding facilities typically house and stack reptiles in small to mid-sized barren aquariums or clear plastic containers in which animals may spend most, if not all, of their lives. While such housing may be standard in the industry, it is hardly capable of accommodating or facilitating the reptiles’ natural behavior.

Rabbits and Rodents

Rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas are often purchased as gifts for children. These animals, however, are fragile, can bite, and generally do not like to be held; therefore, they do not make the best companions for children young people. In addition, many people purchase these animals under the false impression (encouraged by retailers) that a cage makes a suitable habitat, when, in fact, confinement in a cage is extremely inappropriate for these highly active and social animals.

Many pet stores carry rats and mice primarily to cater to those individuals who feed live rodents to captive reptiles. Because there is an unfortunate tendency for people to treat animals destined to become food with less concern than is afforded to animals intended to be companions, the rats and mice used as feed may be the most mistreated animals in the pet industry, based on their sheer numbers and the typical neglect they endure.

Dogs and Cats

Many dogs sold in pet stores come from “puppy mills,” where dogs are bred solely for profit. These dogs may spend their entire lives in tiny cages, with wire floors that hurt and deform their feet. “Kitten mills” also exist, in which cats endure similar, deplorable conditions.

Most pet stores don’t spay or neuter the puppies and kittens they sell. It has been estimated that 6–8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year and that 3–4 million are killed for lack of a home. An estimated 25 percent of all animals entering shelters are purebreds. Whether purebred or mixed-breed, all breeding contributes to this overpopulation crisis.

Fish

Recent studies on pain in fish confirm that fish do, indeed, have conscious, cognizant pain experiences similar to higher vertebrates such as mammals. If fish are similar to other animals in their ability to feel pain, then it is not unreasonable to assume that they share other sensations such as fear, joy, and sadness.

Many marine “salt water” species seen in home aquariums are wild-caught. An estimated 70 to 100 tons of wild marine fish are captured each year for the aquarium trade. Not surprisingly, many exploited wild species are in jeopardy. Captive-bred salt water and fresh water fish are typically mass-produced, leading to associated welfare and disease problems and environmental risks.

The most important step you can take for companion animals: Always adopt, never buy. (And don’t forget to neuter or spay!)