Montreal February 13th, 2020 – The Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) Canada is pleased to announce a historic moment for animals, the definite closure of the Fur Council of Canada (FCC), thereby confirming the start of the end for the fur industry in Canada!

 

A giant dies

The FCC had its offices at 1435 St-Alexandre, suite 1270 in Montreal for 35 years and was the most important representative of the fur industry in Canada with the mission of promoting, defending and developing professional, economic, social interests and moral standards of workers in the Canadian fur industry, both domestically and internationally(1). The FCC was located in the center of what is called the fur district which is in fact the epicenter of this industry in North America. In fact, it is in Montreal that more than 85% of fur clothing is made.

 

An anonymous informant contacted SPA Canada to share the news. After an on-site verification of vacant premises and confirmation from office neighbors, the only vestige of the Fur Council of Canada remains their website. It would appear that the FCC did not mention its closing, hoping that no one would be informed. Our sources confirmed that the team and the FCC offices had already been cut due to lack of funds in this plummeting industry. No wonder that the event organized by the Fur Council of Canada, Style Lab Montreal (formerly called NAFFEM), known as the largest fur fair in the world has not taken place in few years.

 

Victory for the animals

This victory represents a turning point in the history of advances for animals and the decline of the fur industry. SPA Canada takes advantage of this victory to thank all of the animal supporters and defenders who participated in this major gain. The public has not been duped in connection with the fur industry’s efforts to make this trade “ecological” or animal-friendly! In an effort to gain public support, the CCF even produced educational materials for schools and launched the furisgreen.com website.

 

Industrial breeding and trapping conditions

“Keep warm in winter, yes. Dress in fashion, yes. But not at the cost of animal cruelty. ” comments Dominique Routhier, acting director and animal biologist for SPA Canada. Animals exploited for their fur live in horrible conditions and those trapped in the wild often suffer a long and painful death without mentioning all the other animal species trapped by mistake such as dogs, cats, birds and wild animals which are not listed on the list of regulatory animals for trapping. After more than 400 years of the fur trade in Canada, the number of animals killed and therefore their suffering is unimaginable. In Canada, fur farms produce approximately 1.7 million mink skins per year! Despite the fact that Canada’s fur trade brings more than $ 800 million a year to the Canadian economy, “Compassion will eventually win over profit and the news of the closure of the FCC is an obvious sign.” supports Ms. Routhier.

 

SPA Canada Campaign

SPA Canada has worked for 12 years to educate and mobilize the public and governments on the cruelty associated with the fur industry, making this campaign whose main target was the FCC, one of the most important for the organization. . It is for this reason that SPA Canada decided to locate its Quebec offices in the famous fur district. Due to relentless pressure from the SPA Canada, an increasingly public boycott of fur products and a clear interest in environmentally friendly products, the FCC was unable to keep up. Again in May 2019 as part of their ’National Fur Coating Donating Month’ (2), SPA Canada organized peaceful demonstrations and flyer distribution sessions outside the offices of the Fur Council of Canada.

 

Media highlights Friday February 14

On February 14th, as part of the 32nd year of National Fur Day, SPA Canada planned to make a media stunt at noon right outside the offices of the Fur Council of Canada. This event was moved to the downtown TheBay store (on Sainte-Catherine between Union and Place Phillips streets, in Montreal, QC), the organization’s new national target as part of their campaign to ban the sale, production and purchase of all fur products in Canada.

 

1 http://www.furcouncil.com/mission_valeurs.aspx

2 https://www.spacanada.org/2019/09/17/national-fur-coat-donation-month/

About SPA Canada:

SPA Canada is the largest national non-profit organization dedicated to the mission to promote the defense of animal rights through education and awareness.