Fur has been a hot button topic for some time now. Most people have probably read about a fur-clad celebrity getting doused in paint, or seen a provocative PETA ad with a photo of a nude actress proclaiming she would rather go naked than wear fur. Still, the industry has managed hang on. Recently, though, animal welfare and wildlife advocates seem to have gained some ground. Big-name designers and retailers have pledged to go fur free, and cities, towns, and even countries have begun to ban the production and/or sale of fur. In many ways, California is leading the way, as legislators tackle trapping of wild animals as well as sale of fur products.
Terra Verde host and Earth Island Journal Managing Editor Zoe Loftus-Farren talks Camilla Fox and PJ Smith about trapping, fur farming, and the progress being made towards a fur-free future. Fox is founder and director of Project Coyote, which promotes coexistence between people and wildlife, and Smith is director of fashion policy at the Humane Society of the United States, which fights to end animal suffering.