I would like to nominate C.A.R.E.S. (Canadian Animal Rescue and Extended Shelter) to receive $1,000 to assist with the good work it does in the community.

Fur these days is looking to be more and more of a fashion trend, but much to the average consumer's ignorance and belief that the 'real' fur industry is dead, it is in fact a billion dollar industry in several countries including Canada and the US. Rabbit, fox, mink and raccoon, just to name a few, are being caged, tortured and killed in gruesome factory farms for their fur to make various products for our use such as fur trim on coats, hats, gloves, toys, key rings etc. Shockingly, domestic cats and dogs have been added to this list for their coats and skin, with China as the world's lead exporter.

Why are they doing this? Greed. It is cheaper for them to use the real thing than to create 'fake' or 'faux' fur and the labeling laws in these countries are voluntary so they do not have to indicate to the consumer at all what the material is made from. Sure there is fake fur out there, but to the average consumer who perhaps a) is unaware that real fur is being traded, b) wouldn't believe that this is going on and c) couldn't necessarily tell the difference between the real thing and the fake stuff. Animal fur however is pretty obvious, especially the softer fur of rabbits, cats, fox and minks and would be very hard to recreate with man-made materials.

Why buy into the cruelty? Fur used or worn in any form promotes fur and the fur trade as a whole.