by Doug Chiasson, Executive Director, Fur Institute of Canada Considering how much trapping of wildlife takes place in Canada, it is very rare for pet dogs to become accidental victims. Finding a dog in their trap or snare is not something any trapper wants, but accidents do happen, and they almost always involve someone ­breaking the law. Maybe a trap was illegally set, or maybe a dog was off-leash where it shouldn’t have been. Yet when the media report these stories, they hardly ever investigate the crime that’s been committed. Instead they turn the story into an indictment of all trapping ..read more

by Alan Herscovici, Senior Researcher, Truth About Fur Raised by humans for more than 150 years, farmed mink are significantly different from their wild cousins and are now clearly domesticated, despite animal activist claims to the contrary. This is important because the claim that farmed mink are not domesticated, but rather are “wild animals kept in captivity”, sits at the heart of activists’ critique of mink farming. Activists argue that, because wild mink travel and hunt over large territories, it is impossible to satisfy their fundamental needs on farms. Therefore, they claim, mink farm ..read more

by Truth About Fur A billboard campaign by Ontario trappers to raise public appreciation of their role in wildlife management has so far been well received. Now the organisation behind the campaign, the Ontario Fur Managers Federation (OFMF), is optimistic a national campaign can follow. From September 5 to October 14, the OFMF has six billboards on show near high-traffic border crossings to the US. The message on the billboards is simple, but thought-provoking: “In Ontario, trappers work to maintain healthy wildlife populations for today and the future.” The idea, explains Robin Horwath, who ..read more

by Truth About Fur Hoping that trapping associations across Canada will be inspired to follow suit, the Ontario Fur Managers Federation (OFMF) is launching a billboard campaign to raise public awareness of the roles trappers play in wildlife management and pest control. It also hopes to correct misunderstandings about trapping created intentionally by animal activists. Animal rights groups have long been spreading falsehoods about the trapping of furbearers, in particular that it is unnecessary and cruel. Trappers have defended themselves, with support from wildlife managers, conservationists ..read more

by Truth About Fur The proposed fur ban in Rhode Island has been defeated. The bill, HB7361/SB246, which, if passed, would have banned the retail sale of fur, was defeated last week when the Rhode Island legislature convened. Even in light of the industry being outspent by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Humane Society and other groups, as well as a digital campaign and the overwhelming support the bill received in the house, it was not enough to get the bill passed. Dino Quaglietta of Northeast Furs, a local retailer in Warwick, has been engaged in fighting the ban since it was first prop ..read more

Posted: July 5, 2022 Interested parties please contact: Doug Chiasson, Executive Director, at doug.chiasson@fur.ca JOB DESCRIPTION Under the supervision of and reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Executive Assistant is responsible for coordinating and executing the day-to-day administrative activities of the organization; and providing administrative support to the Executive Director, Board of Directors, Executive Committee and other Committees. As a senior administrator, the Executive Assistant is expected to work with or without supervision of the Executive Director. Attendan ..read more

by Truth About Fur Last April 4, Doug Chiasson assumed the post of executive director of the Fur Institute of Canada, an independent entity founded by the government in 1983 to lead research on humane traps. Since then, it has also become a recognised authority on the conservation of wild furbearers, and a promoter of sustainable sealing. Born and raised on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Doug spent 13 years studying and working in Ottawa, and is now back in his home province, residing outside of Halifax. In this time of unprecedented challenges in the fur trade, let’s find out what Doug bri ..read more

by Simon Ward, editor, Truth About Fur Like most writers, those of us in public relations are prone to vanity. If we can choose between having an op-ed piece in a prestigious newspaper or a column in the local supermarket rag, we choose the former, even if it means far fewer people see our work. So is our professional pride causing us to ignore the power of low-brow publications to change hearts and minds? In particular, should the fur trade be taking the UK tabloids more seriously? The UK Is a special case for a few reasons, notably: Everyone speaks English. There’s no denying the impact of ..read more

by Christian Parmentier, Belgian Fur Federation In his 2012 book The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion, social and cultural psychologist Jonathan Haidt explains why people hold such wildly differing beliefs and why others’ views seem so illogical. Understanding his arguments may be key to reversing the decline in support for various animal uses seen in urbanised societies, and ensuring industries such as the fur trade still have a future. Ethics (morality) is about the way in which people want to act. Ethics invite us to do the right thing. That there is not ..read more

The list is available, in both English and French, at https://fur.ca/certified-traps/ The post Canada Wild Fur Production data from 2010 to 2019 appeared first on Fur Institute of Canada ..read more