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Chad Ochocino of the Cincinnati Bengals says that as a kid, he thought that fur used in the fashion industry was fake—and when he found out it was real, and how fur is produced, he wanted to be a part of stopping it.
That's the story he tells PETA as he explains his involvement with the group and his willingness to strip down for its Ink, Not Mink campaign, which pleads with people to stop supporting the fur industry.
What's so wrong with fur? Change.org explains:
In the wild, a male mink has a range of approximately 2,500 acres. A female has a range of 40 acres. On a fur farm, a mink is typically confined in a cage measuring 12 inches by 18 inches... Minks are also inbred in the quest for certain coat colors, which leads to genetic defects... Methods of killing on fur farms include breaking the animal’s neck, gassing, lethal injection, genital electrocution and anal electrocution.
That is the fate awaiting animals used for fur, including foxes, minks, rabbits, and even cats and dogs.
So next time you are tempted by a fur coat, or even a jacket with fur trim that looks fake—there's a good chance it's not, and that it was involved in real animal suffering. To have a little compassion this winter, think about going without the fur.
More on fur and celebrity animal activism:
6 Meat and Fur-free Celebrities with a Die-hard Passion for PETA
Hot Music, Anti-Fur Activism, and Racy PETA Ads...in China?
Heath Ledger's Green Music VIdeo, Lady Gaga's No-Fur Policy, and More
