The Fur Trade Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bears

The hide of one adult Canadian black bear goes into making one hat. Because of the expense incurred in purchasing the fur, the use of these hats is now limited to the Queens' Guards, or to people involved in ceremonial positions. Originally, in the late eighteenth century, they were worn by grenadiers in the British, French and Spanish armies; but the expense and the maintenance of these hats were too great, and so it became limited as to who wore them.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have presented a faux-fur alternative to these hats to the MoD (Ministry of Defense) covering all of the MoD's specifications, but they have been rejected by the MoD, who say it "lacks life" and "doesn't bounce back".

Answer: China

This particular investigation found that the dogs and cats are rounded up from around the country, and also other parts of the world, and put into tiny cages (up to 20 cats were in a single cage), with no food or water. Some are stray dogs and cats, and some are stolen pets.

Several states in America have signed legislation that makes it necessary to declare if an item of clothing or an accessory has any animal fur in it. This is due to many labels stating that they are faux fur, when hair from cats and dogs have been discovered in these supposed faux fur items. The states of New York, Delaware, Massachusetts and Wisconsin are among those who will have to adhere to this new legislation as of June 2010. Laws at present, allow any fur items under $150 to not be labelled as fur.

Answer: Mulesing

Mulesing is a controversial practice, used on Merino sheep to prevent flystrike. Flystrike is a disease common in sheep by where flies lay their eggs in warm and damp areas protected by urine and feces. Once the eggs hatch, sores develop, and the sheep are slowly being eaten alive by maggots. It is extremely painful and if untreated, can lead to death.

However, whilst it is understandable that farmers would wish to prevent this in their sheep, the controversy comes in the methods used to perform mulesing on sheep. The practice itself is very painful, and little has been done to lessen the lamb's pain, taking them at least two weeks to recover from the surgery.

The majority of the world's Merino wool comes from Australia. The Australian wool industry has signed an agreement to cease mulesing by December 31 2010. Studies are being done to find the best combination of pain-killers that can be used in mulesing. The anti-inflammatory analgesic used in a study - 'Carprofen' - gave the greatest pain relief, but is currently not registered for use on sheep. Research is still ongoing as to when the best time would be to administer the pain relief before mulesing.

Answer: No

The rabbit pelts needed for the fur industry have to be from older rabbits who have thicker, denser fur than from the rabbits needed for the meat industry. The U.N. also tells us that "few skins are now retrieved from slaughterhouses".

In 2007 the Humane Society of the United States tested clothing sold at Nieman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue and Dillards, that had been labelled 'faux fur' or 'polyester trim'. They found that these products were actually trimmed with rabbit fur.

Answer: No

Canada is where only some of the world's seal hunting takes place. This also happens in Greenland, Norway, Namibia and Russia. Hundreds of thousands of seals are killed each year for their pelts.

As of 2009, over 5,000 grocery stores and restaurants have become part of the "Protect Seals" campaign. American corporations such as 'Whole Foods Markets', 'Trader Joe's', 'Oceanaire Seafood Room', and 'Ted's Montana Grill', have all joined the boycott of Canadian seafood, until such a time comes when more humane legislations are in force.

Designers Donatella Versace and Gucci have begun to use seal pelts, but several others have banned seal products from their line, such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney and Calvin Klein, and these designers have also banned all animal products from their lines.

Answer: United Kingdom and Austria

Austria imposed a complete ban on all fur farming in 2004; England and Wales in 2000, with a phasing out process to be complete by 2003. Northern Ireland and Scotland followed shortly, and so the United Kingdom is now without fur farms.

In Italy, as of 2008, mink farms must provide pens on the ground, water to swim in and more space for the animals. In all likelihood, this will mean that mink farming will not be profitable, and so should lead to mink farms in Italy closing.

New Zealand has ferret farms, but forbids the import of mink.

Switzerland also has no fur farms, because their legislation requires that animals raised for fur are kept in conditions that would mean it is not profitable to fur farmers.

Croatia began a ten year phase-out period from 2007.

In the USA, about ten states produce fox fur, with Wisconsin and Utah producing the most. The USA has also farmed minks since around the 1870s.

Answer: Fur from fetal Karakul lambs

The fur from fetal Karakul lambs is the softest. The fur industry claims that fur from fetal Karakul lambs only comes about due to accidents to the expecting mother. But investigations in 2000 on a farm in Bukhara, by the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States), found that this was not the case, and their undercover video coverage showed evidence to the contrary.

Karakul fur has had a resurgence of late, with several designers selling their pelts, and stores such as Nieman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue selling apparel made from these animals.

Answer: India and China

Originally, leather used to be a by-product of the meat industry. Now however, the consumer demand for leather is so vast, that cows are also bred solely for their hide. Land is cleared specifically for raising cattle for leather. A report conducted by 'Greenpeace' in 2009, states that "Brazil's cattle industry is responsible for 80 percent of deforestation".

Answer: True

Snakes, crocodiles, alligators and lizards are just some of the animals used to make clothes, bags, belts and shoes.

Answer: The day after Thanksgiving

"Fur Free Friday" is originally an American event. The day after Thanksgiving is always a Friday, hence the name "Fur Free Friday". This day was chosen because it is the country's biggest shopping day of the year.

Groups of people get together all over the world, including Spain, France, London, Brazil, Canada, Germany, South Africa, and different states in America, to try to end the killing of over 50 million animals a year for their fur.