Fur Coats Recycled into Animal Nests

If you have a fur coat gathering dust in your closet, the Humane Society suggests recycling it by putting it on the backs of other animals.

The Coats for Cubs program by the Humane Society of the United States helps orphaned, injured or sick wildlife by gathering fur coats and using them for nests, bedding or cuddly replacements for mom and dad. In 2009, 2,687 fur items were donated.

"We use the discarded furs as bedding to give the animals comfort and reduce stress," said Michael Markarian, the agency's chief operating officer in Washington, D.C. "The fur garments act as a surrogate mother. It is a warm and furry substitute."

The coats go to wildlife rehabilitation centers that take in baby raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels, coyotes, skunks and other animals, and has helped thousands of animals since it began in 2005 with the Fund for Animals.

Markarian said many of the coats are donated by people who find fur to be inhumane - whether the animals are trapped in steel-jawed traps or raised on factory farms. For those who have fur and no longer want to wear it, "This is a great way for them to give back to the animals," he said.

OK folks look in your closet, i have a ratty mink left to me by my grandmother. Mail it off to the Humane Society or if you live by a Buffalo Exchange, you can drop off the fur at their store.

Read Complete Article:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/pets/fur-coats-become-animal-nests-in-recycling-bid-211698.html

Humane Society of the United States:
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/fur_fashion/donate_old_fur.html

Buffalo Exchange Locations:
http://www.buffaloexchange.com/index.php?pg=4