Fur Free Utah
Fur is the epitome of unnecessary animal suffering. The most common animal raised for fur in Utah is mink. Mink are not domesticated animals, even inside fur farms. In the wild, they are solitary creatures and cover great distances. Animals raised for fur live miserable lives crammed in tiny cages with several others. The lack of open space and isolation often cause severe mental stress on animals in fur farms. As a result, animals on fur farms often neurotically circle endlessly in their cages and even self-mutilate. Animals on fur farms may be gassed, electrocuted, poisoned with strychnine, or have their necks snapped. These methods are not 100 percent effective and some animals “wake up” while being skinned.
SLAAM’s ongoing campaign against fur is two-fold – educating the public about the cruelty of fur outside Utah’s remaining fur stores and protesting Utah fur farms directly. While there is only one fur store remaining in Salt Lake City, there are several in Park City. The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) is a national day of protest against fur stores. SLAAM joins this effort in Park City where we hold signs, chant, and hands out information to pedestrians.
For news coverage of Fur Free Friday 2009, see:
http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_13879871
Morgan County contains more fur farms than any other county in the United States. On November 28, 2009 between 40 and 50 SLAAM members marched in protest down Morgan’s busiest street to bring attention to the thousands of animals suffering on the 16 fur farms in the county. Both KSTU and the Ogden’s Standard Examiner covered the event, and showed the public that despite police protection, local fur farm advocates are often violent even towards protesters.
See the news coverage and photos of the event here:
http://www.standard.net/topics/featured/2009/11/28/mink-protest-miffs-morgan
http://www.standard.net/topics/protest/2009/11/28/morgan-turns-out-support-its-mink-farmers
http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-animal-rights-activists-protest-at-mink-farms,0,7277349.story
REMAINING FUR STORES IN UTAH
L’Ours Blanc Fur
10 North State Street
Salt Lake City, UT
(801) 322-0917
Norsk Leather & Fur Inc.
605 Main Street
Park City, UT
(435) 649-5372
Alaska Fur Gallery
751 Main Street
Park City, UT
(435) 649-1241
Overland Sheepskin Co.
596 Main Street
Park City, UT
(435) 940-0720
Custom Capes
540 East 100 South
Morgan, UT
(801) 829-3131
