Each year, an infinite number of animals are killed for the textile industry. Regardless of the source of the fur, Australian outback or Indian slaughterhouses, an immense amount of pain goes into each fur-trimmed jacket, wool sweater or leather belt. Fur farm animals spend their whole lives restricted to filthy, cramped wire cages, not to mention the cheapest and cruelest methods used in killing the animals, including electrocution, suffocation, poisoning and gasping. Worse still, sheep are sometimes subjected to a gruesome mutilation procedure whereby huge chunks of skin and flesh are chopped off from lamb’s backsides without application of any painkillers. At the same time, the exotic trade in skins is just horrifying; lizards and snakes are skinned alive due to the notion that live lashing keeps leather supple.

On the other hand, nanny goats are boiled alive for the manufacture of gloves, and the hides of unborn lambs and calves-some intentionally aborted, some extracted from slaughtered expectant ewes and cows- are regarded particularly luxurious. It is brutal and wrong on so many aspects. You can virtually fetch the general arguments of illegal skinning of animals and how you would like it if the same animals were considered dominant species and they instead opted to skinning us. I don’t think it can be that fair. Well, you can imagine the reversed role and not forget the fact that animals possess as much rights as humans, and what would we be showing young children, our future generation?

It is wrong to mistreat animals for our own interests and undermine the rights of a less dominant species. Of course you wouldn’t like if someone was wearing your fur for luxury. Indeed, these animals can be saved simply by opting for cruelty-free garments, which are readily available in all price tags and at all types of retail terminals, from low-level shoe stores to top-notch boutiques. With the availability of wide range of comfortable, fashionable options, there is no justification for wearing animal fur.