I think your cousin has her heart in the right place, and I consider exposing the horrors of any industry that profits from the torture and abuse of animals a legitimate tactic for conciousness-raising. If not for such revelations, I'd never have known of the horrors of the conventional meat/poultry/egg industries, and thus, would not necessarily have taken steps to reduce or eliminate my participation in them (as a consumer). And paleo has encouraged me to seek out better alternatives. I can appreciate the value of her point of view, despite its likely inconsistencies.

If you like to wear fur, perhaps this information will lead you to seek out humane sources--if any exist. If they don't, perhaps you will conclude you don't want to participate. Or not. Either way, you're thinking about it, which supports the value of your cousin's attempts at consciousness-raising.

if it was from an animal that was going to be killed for food i wouldnt have a problem with it. if as you say it was a live animal skinned for the fur then thats horrible.

I do leatherwork as a hobby (making sporrans (pouches) for kilt-wear) and I have used rabbit and bovine fur-on hides, as well as wild pig skin, deer, and bison/bovine fur-less hides. Kate MacPherson (popular sporran maker) in Scotland uses roadkill to create some absolutely fantastic fur-on sporrans.

I have no qualms about this.

If you wear leather or eat meat, should you really judge the use of fur?

I also believe in "snout to spout" utilization of animals, that includes organ meats and even making use of the horns, hide, bones, as much as possible.

I'm pretty sure if an animal died to give you either fur or sustenance, then it makes sense to use every part of that animal, fur included.

On the other hand, commercial fur usually sells off the skinless carcass for animal feed or fertilizer and I'm not down with that. If I ever got the chance at getting my hands on one of the popular sporran hides (beaver, badger, pine marten) I would probably ensure the animal died of natural causes or was eaten (in case of beaver, I don't think anyone actually eats badger or marten).

This is not solely thinking of animal rights as much as it is practicality... it just makes sense to make use of as much animal as you can, from a financial and sustainability standpoint.

I think it's important to source your fur/leather the way you source your food. Do research, and if at all possible, get it from local sources (though I admit it will probably be more difficult than finding local grassfed beef... Kind of depends on the farm's process and whether you can get the hide to a tanner in a short enough time). If you can find a company that ensures their animals are actually dead before they start skinning them, use them and spread the word.

It's part of the animal. If you eat meat, then it's no different to make use of the leather.

I've skinned a bunch of animals, it's not "nasty horrific", not any more than butchering. People don't butcher or use animal leather because they are "nasty horrific" people. They do it because it's there to be used. You can do the same with vegetation, just because someone picks up a flower or some swiss chard, that doesn't make them a nasty horrific person. Now if you're just going to be a jerk and stomp on every flower just for the joy of killing it... different story.

Tell your friend that she shouldn't use the telephone, drive a car, or go on airplane flights, if she hates "torturing" animals so much. Animal products are used for those 3 things too.

it is really simple...

A: fur bearing animals are sought for their fur and are farm raised and/or managed if it weren't for their fur they would be as desirable as a the lowly Weasel... Coyote population around these parts fluctuate wildly based on fur prices... and the population suffers when there is no demand. warm weather and low demand in European and Russian markets have left the Coyote populations high and they are all Mangy and sick as a result... we still hunt them however to help keep their numbers lower so their numbers are healthier

B: livestock and other food animals are raised for food... can't remember the last time I saw a wild cow roaming around and I live in the middle of the Nebraska Sandhills, aka Cow Country... were there no market for Beef or whatever else... those animals would basically not exist as they do today... if there were no demand for Beef we wouldn't raise as much corn in these parts either...

C: it boils down to this... to each their own. these meat and fur animals exist solely for human use. and we as human being are obligated to treat all life with respect, even if you are going kill and eat it.

skinning a live animal? who would do that? I've hunted and fished my whole life and that is just wrong. but people are and can be very evil

it would be great if we put laws into effect to stop the big commercial farms and livestock factories. until then...

I'm not picky about what I wear to keep warm, but I prefer animal products whenever possible because they're natural and local. What would Grok wear? Certainly nothing derived from petroleum.

Fur for pure decoration = unnecessary, so no; fur for good purpose (e.g., you live in a damn cold climate and work or spend time outside) = useful, so yes.

I was once snowed in up north, caught in a car, where I was damn glad I had another critter's coat to keep me alive. But I never wear it for luxury purposes; the industry is not gentle to the animals.

Other than fur being tacky as !@#$, I have no problem with domesticated animals being used for it. That said though, I would opt for cowhide or pigskin products because I don't eat chinchilla, etc.

In the normal course of events an animal would be dead before it was skinned. Who was the creepy photographer that filmed the video?

I think fur is great. My wife has a couple fur coats, and last year I bought a cashmere coat with a fur lined and trimmed hood. That hood is better than anything else for keeping warm in a cold Midwest winter.

If it bothers you, just don't wear fur. Fur as a luxury item for people who didn't live in very cold climates is pretty silly.

i once saw a video of land being deforested for planting of crops. the animals that were killed by the machinery or the resultant slow death due to loss of habitat suffered for our need for soya beans/corn.

humans negatively impact other species. none of us are innocent.