Rabbit fur coat discussion.

[Ellwood]

This is sprung from the sale of a rabbit skin coat, which divided the board and the Admin were kept busy deleting inappropriate posts.

Here's my view,

I'm glad this has sold and someone is enjoying the beauty of it. Rabbit fur is one type of fur we shouldn't be sniffy about. It makes me wonder if people who worry about wearing rabbit skin, worry about wearing cow skin or sitting on cow skin? The argument that leather is a by product of the meat industry doesn't stand. In that rabbits are considered a source of food, at least I hope that's why a brace hung in the butchers back home. If we don't eat them, they are used for pet food too. So why should their skins go to waste?

[Huguenot]

Sorry to hear the thread was targeted.

Sadly the ideological fervour of anti-fur and vegetarian campaigners is inversely proportionate to the logical consistency of their arguments.

[Jeremy]

I agree that if the animal has been killed for it's meat, then using the skin for clothing and upholstery is just making efficient use of the animal.

I don't like the idea of slaughtering animals specifically for their fur, but if it's a second hand coat anyway... it may as well get used, it's rather too late for the rabbits.

[peckhamboy]

The problem is that it's getting rather difficult to get hold of a decent furrier nowadays, because they've all been driven out of business or can be contacted only through a network of shady men in pubs. I have about 20 cat furs in my shed that i'd like to turn into a bedspread, if anyone knows someone who could help.

[KidKruger]

peckhamboy you'll be lucky to get a pillow case out of 20 cats !! (unless they're from BIG cats like tigers/lions..)

[peckhamboy]

KK, thanks for the tip. Some of them are quite big but not in that league! Maybe a bedspread for a child's bed? I am sure the collection will have grown a little by the time I find a reliable furrier in any case so I may have enough by then. The forum is a source of valuable info on where to find fresh ones.

[Fabricio the Guido]

hotmail

@ Peckhamboy, just out of interest how did you get your hands on your batch of fur

[Ridgley]

I have to agree with Ellwood and others points on this, unfortunately they are some animal rights campaigners will vent there strong opinions just because you have another opinion to theres.

[zeban]

I care very much about animal rights but I don't see any problem with wearing VINTAGE fur. I'd never buy NEW fur, especially if it's from an animal which isn't used for it's meat. It seems to me as bad as killing Rhinos for their horns, or Sharks for their finns.

I think people were very harsh at the woman selling the coat, you find vintage fur sold at most vintage fairs/markets/shops- would those people have a pop at the owners of these places or was she just an easy target because she's online?

I also can't be historically accurate in this but I'm wondering if people would have eaten the rabbits back in the day? if it was more likely that rabbits were used for their meat?

[KidKruger]

like I said, it takes no skill or balls to be a faceless insulter on the internet.

[Ridgley]

Yep KK i agree well done Ellwood for holding your corner - those who targeted you just need to whine there necks in

[mockney piers]

damn, I thought this was a thread about Jenny Lewis

[Emerson Crane]

Many argue that killing an animal for the meat is ok but killing purely for the fur is evil. Personally I can't see how one is any better than the other, either way the animal is killed for own consumption. And I say that as a meat eater myself.

[KidKruger]

I'm sure I read somewhere that it'd been proven that animals don't feel pain.

So not a problem.

[Emerson Crane]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm sure I read somewhere that it'd been proven

> that animals don't feel pain.

> So not a problem.

Of course they don't. Where was this pearl of wisdom published, the Beano?

[Sue]

I was once verbally abused on a train for wearing a fake leopard fur coat.

I was so taken aback I couldn't think of a suitable reply.

I think it's interesting the change of popular feeling re fur. I used to have a second hand - sorry, vintage - fur coat in the late seventies/early eighties. I wore it proudly for several years until I realised I was being treated like a criminal in some quarters, and I stopped wearing it.

For years, you would never see people selling these coats, but now they're back - one of the stalls on North Cross Road had a whole rack of them the other week, and models have started wearing fur again.

So what changed exactly?

My own feeling is that wearing an old fur is fine - the animal's already long dead after all, and why waste a good coat. They're very warm (obviously, that's why animals have fur I presume).

But I don't like the idea of animals being farmed purely for their fur, or being killed purely for their fur, and I wouldn't want to wear anything made of that fur.

I do eat meat, but if I am buying it myself I will only buy stuff which I know is free range.

[Twirly]

I have read certain arguments with regard to the wearing of vintage fur, and to some extent fake, fur, and I?m repeating them here not as my own viewpoint, but to add to the discussion since people are asking why wearing vintage fur is wrong. Please don?t take me to task on it, as I?ve no intention of arguing about it.

The wearing of vintage/fake fur perpetuates the desirability of fur as a fashion item and creates demand. This increases the likelihood that animals will be farmed for their fur, and hence perpetuate the cruelty to the animals.

Sue ? that might be why you received abuse regarding your fake fur.

Personally, I wouldn?t wear vintage fur, whether rabbit or anything else. I don?t eat meat but do eat fish (I eat what I like, avoid what I don?t) and I do wear leather. I dislike cruelty to animals, and I?m well aware of the double standard in that, but have learnt to live with it. I don?t really like the look of real fur, as it just makes me think of the beautiful animal it was once on (albeit a long time ago), and it reminds me of rich old ladies.

[Sue]

Fair points and I've no desire to take you to task on them

[Ellwood]

zeban Wrote:

> I also can't be historically accurate in this but

> I'm wondering if people would have eaten the

> rabbits back in the day? if it was more likely

> that rabbits were used for their meat?

Absolutely, rabbit was very popular in the wartime, where it was caught and eaten with no problem, due it's classification as vermin.

I remember growing up and my dad and brother going rabbiting and bringing them back for dinner.

[RosieH]

And I very much enjoy eating rabbit now.

Fur / cheese - don't see the difference myself (we don't need to wear fur, some would argue, and it's only ugly vanity. But neither do we need to eat cheese.)

Edited to add, I think that's the point Huguenot was making in post 2. So I'm just copying him basically.

[zeban]

Cheese? are you serious? Animals don't die to make cheese

[Tarot]

Cheese is made from rennet,and dairy products ,it is taken from the stomache of animals.

[RosieH]

Yes they do - male dairy calves that are slaughtered because they're not going to produce milk.

Edited for reasons of late night transgenderism.

[Pearson]

What RosieH says.

@ Zeban, what Tarot says is fact.

Which does make me laugh as so many vegetarians

eat cheese like they eat fish and wear leather shoes...

But they would never cook me a steak when i'm round at their house!!!

[Ann]

Are rabbit fur coats so different (in essence) from the very popular, hugely expensive, extemely practical, seen all over London UGG Boots?

I own a pair but don't own a rabbit fur coat. I've never really liked fur coats but sheepskin boots are very practical in the winter.

Is this a fair comparison?