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Welfare
Welfare is at the heart of everything the fur trade does. The IFTF Is dedicated to continued high standards of care and welfare for fur animals and supports scientific research in this area. The IFTF promotes strict codes of practice that meet and exceed established and accepted standards for animal welfare for both wild and farmed fur. The International fur trade does not trade in endangered species. [link to cities]
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Fur farming is an important part of local agricultural economies. Fur farms are particularly suited for remote northern climates where arable land is at a premium and a great many fur farms support families and communities in rural areas where the climate and environment make it difficult to farm many species. Fur farms are often passed down from generation to generation along with the special skills needed. Fur farmers are proud of their tradition and of their animals.
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Wild fur bearing animals have been always been hunted or trapped by man. The ability to hunt animals as well as forage for food is a defining characteristic of homo sapiens. Using fur from hunted animals as protection from the elements is an equally ancient characteristic. Man’s earliest tools were created for hunting and skinning animals.
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It goes without saying that the fur trade is an animal use industry, like the meat, dairy, leather, wool, cashmere and silk farming industries and the medical research community. Clearly we have a duty to care for the animals used by the fur trade in a humane way. Fur farming and fur hunting and trapping are subject to local, national and international laws, regulations and standards. The International Fur Trade Federation and its members promote codes of practice that meet or exceed established standards for animal welfare.
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The International Fur Trade Federation and members have commissioned research studies looking into the environmental impact of a fur coat, from production to eventual disposal. Overall results from studies into its environmental impact indicate that natural fur has some important environmental advantages over its fake counterparts.
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The fur trade comprises hunting communities and many small farms and family businesses, craftsmen and women, manufacturers, dressing companies, co-operatively owned or publicly floated auction houses, designers and retailers. It is a small but global industry. Worldwide retail turnover in 2008 was just over US $13 billion.
INTERNATIONAL FUR TRADE FEDERATION
