That Doggy Is Fake But The Fur (Ouch!) Is Real
The Straits Time, 21 June 2003

WE REFER to the article, 'Doggone it! That isn't a live dog after all' (ST, June 14), about rabbit-fur figurines on sale at the Singapore Street Festival.

The House Rabbit Society of Singapore opposes the use of all kinds of fur.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (www.furisdead.com) and several other animal-welfare groups have uncovered the severe suffering and brutality involved in the fur industry.

The fur trade kills 40 million animals a year worldwide. Rabbits, minks, chinchillas and other animals in fur farms spend their entire lives confined to tiny, filthy cages.

Animals in these barren cages often go mad and mutilate themselves. Most of these animals have been bred for qualities like fur colour and texture. The result is a gruesome array of genetic defects - deafness, blindness, internal bleeding and deformed sex organs.

Wild animals are caught mainly with leg-hold traps. Animals can suffer in traps for days. Up to one out of every four trapped animals escapes by chewing off its feet, only to die later from blood loss, fever or gangrene.

By buying rabbit-fur products, consumers are perpetuating such cruel acts.

Rabbits are intelligent, social animals that enjoy interacting with people. Their gentle, loving nature makes them the third-most-common pet in Singapore.

If we are to become a caring society, we must discourage the use of all fur, including fur trim, fur decorations and fur toys - be it from a cat, dog, rabbit, coyote, fox or any other unfortunate animal. In this day and age of beautiful and useful synthetics, there is no reason to use real fur.

We urge all Singaporeans to boycott fur products.

KAPIL SHARMA
President
House Rabbit Society of Singapore